If your landlord refuses to fix a repair, takes too long to do it or doesn't answer your request then the local authority can:
- give you advice
- talk with your landlord
- and, where appropriate, take action to make sure the repairs are carried out.
When a disrepair complaint is received by the local authority, you will need to provide a copy of any correspondence with the Landlord detailing the disrepair issues. If you have used our issue reporting tool, then you can send them this as evidence.
If you have not formally notified your landlord of the defects, then the local authority will likely not take any formal action unless an emergency issue has been reported.
Once you have provided your correspondence and other evidence, such as photographs, the severity of the problem will be assessed and classified either as:
- an urgent problem
- a less urgent problem
You should receive an acknowledgement letter providing you with contact details for the case officer.
If your case is assessed as an urgent problem, then an officer should make contact within 48 hours to assess the defect(s) and take the appropriate action. For less urgent cases, the case officer may then determine that a visit to your property is necessary. They will then inspect and take the appropriate action.
Information on this site is by way of general guidance only and may not apply in your particular circumstances. You should not act or refrain from acting upon information on this site without seeking independent legal advice.