Getting repairs done if you’re renting privately

Your landlord is responsible for most major repairs to your home if you rent privately. This includes:

• sinks, baths, toilets
• pipes and wiring
• heating and hot water, for example the boiler
• the safety of gas and electrical appliances
• the structure of the property, for example, walls, roof, windows and doors

You’ll be responsible for minor repairs, for example changing fuses and light bulbs. You’ll also have to fix anything you’ve damaged.  If your landlord is responsible for the repair, they should do it in a ‘reasonable’ amount of time. What counts as reasonable depends on the problem. For example, a broken boiler should be fixed sooner than a leaky tap. Your landlord also has to do anything that’s included in their tenancy agreement. Contact us at 0121 558 7691 if you’re not sure what repairs your landlord must do.

If your home isn’t safe for you to live in

If your home isn’t safe to live in, it might be ‘unfit for human habitation’. Your landlord has to make sure your home is fit for human habitation. This applies to most types of tenancy – 

Your home might be unfit for human habitation if for example:

• it gets much too hot or cold
• there are too many people living in it
• it doesn’t have a safe water supply
• it has a serious problem with damp or mould
• it’s infested with pests like rats or cockroaches

It doesn’t matter if the problem was there at the start of the tenancy or only appeared later. Contact us if you’re not sure if your home’s fit for human habitation.

Getting evidence

You should get evidence of the problem, for example:

• photos of the damage, particularly if the problem gets worse over time
• any letters, texts, emails or notes of any conversations between you and your landlord or letting agent
• receipts if you’ve had to replace damaged items
• letters from your GP if the problem has made you ill
• a copy of your tenancy agreement

Keep any evidence you’ve got – you might need it later if you have to take further action to get repairs done. Unless it’s an emergency, your landlord should give you at least 24 hours’ written notice if they want to visit your home to see the damage or do repairs.

If the problem is affecting your health or safety

We can report about your landlord to the Environmental Health department at your local council if your home is in a bad state of repair. You should do this if your home is unsafe or making you ill. This could be, for example because of:

• a gas leak
• a broken step
• mould or damp
• mice or cockroaches

You’ll need to send details of the problem in writing, for example when the problem started.

Your landlord could try to evict you if you complain. If you have an assured shorthold tenancy that started after 1 October 2015, you might have more protection against being evicted.

An Environmental Health Officer will look at your home and order your landlord to do repairs if they think it’s harmful to your health or safety. Keep evidence of what they say or any report they write.

If your landlord still won’t fix the problem, contact us at 0121 558 7691 or fill in our enquiry form and we will get back to you.