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Landlord Not Doing Repairs? Awaab's Law & Legal Rights

Under Awaab’s Law and the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, your landlord has strict legal deadlines to carry out repairs. A landlord not doing repairs within these deadlines is in breach of the law. A verbal complaint is worthless. A written, timestamped record is everything.

Your Rights & Legal Action

Landlord Not Doing Repairs?

🚨 IMMEDIATE LEGAL RULE: Your tenancy deposit remains your money throughout the tenancy. A landlord or letting agent cannot withhold your deposit without your explicit agreement or an official scheme dispute order.

Is your private landlord not doing repairs, ignoring emails about a broken boiler, or refusing to fix leaking pipes and damp?

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act, your landlord has an absolute statutory obligation to keep the structure, exterior, heating, hot water, and sanitation systems in proper repair.

Under expanded housing standards and Awaab’s Law, landlords who ignore hazards face severe council enforcement, mandatory compensation orders, and Rent Repayment Orders.

Landlord Responsibilities

What Repairs Is Your Landlord Legally Responsible For?

Your landlord cannot pass structural maintenance duties onto you. By law, private landlords must fix and maintain:

Structure and Exterior: Roofs, walls, windows, exterior doors, gutters, drains, and external pipes.
Heating and Hot Water: Boilers, radiators, water tanks, and gas appliances (must have an annual Gas Safety Certificate).
Sanitation Facilities: Basins, sinks, baths, showers, and toilets.
Mould and Hazardous Hazards: Severe damp, black mould, structural water leaks, or electrical hazards.

Essential Service Outages (Boiler/Leaks)

➔ Must be inspected within 24 Hours

Severe Damp & Hazard Conditions

➔ Investigation required under strict statutory deadlines

General Maintenance Issues

➔ Must be addressed within a “reasonable” timeframe

Landlord not doing repairs

What to Do If Your Landlord Is Not Doing Anything About Mould or Leaks

Mould, damp, and active water leaks are recognized as health hazards. If your landlord is not doing anything about mold or hasn’t fixed a leaking pipe:

1. Document the Hazard

Take high-resolution, dated photos and videos of the affected walls, ceilings, and damaged belongings. Log the temperature, humidity levels, and smell.

2. Formally Notify the Landlord in Writing

The landlord’s legal timeframe to fix an issue starts only once they are formally notified. Verbal phone calls are difficult to prove in court. Send a formal disrepair notice requesting an inspection date.

3. Apply Local Authority Housing Enforcement (EHO)

If your landlord ignores written requests, contact your local council’s Environmental Health Department. An officer can inspect the property using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and serve your landlord with an enforceable Improvement Notice.

Can I Sue My Landlord for Not Making Repairs or Get a Rent Reduction?

Yes. If your landlord is failing to make repairs after receiving formal notice, you can pursue two legal routes:

1. Housing Disrepair Claims for Compensation

You can bring a county court claim under Section 11 to force repairs and demand compensation for:

Inconvenience & Distress: Ranging from 20% to 50%+ of your rent for the entire period the property was in disrepair.
Damaged Belongings: Financial reimbursement for clothes, carpets, or furniture ruined by mould or leaks.
Increased Bills: Compensation for excess electricity consumed by electric heaters during boiler outages.

2. Rent Reduction Agreements

Rather than withholding rent unlawfully, you can formally request a negotiated rent reduction for the months you were forced to live in substandard conditions. If you are also facing an unfair rent hike, learn how to challenge illegal rent increases and Form 4A notices.

🚨 LANDLORD REFUSING REPAIRS & SERVED AN EVICTION NOTICE? Reporting damp, heating, or safety issues should not cost you your home. If your landlord issued a Section 8 notice after you asked for repairs, they may be attempting a retaliatory eviction using invalid or illegal grounds. Check If Your Eviction Notice Is Valid

Step By Step Process if your landlord not doing repairs

4-Step Action Plan: How to Get Your Deposit Back

1 Send Formal Written Notice

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2 Gather Evidence

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3 Report to Environmental Health

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4 Serve Formal Letter Before Action

Step 1. Written Notice

Send a Formal Repair Request

Send a formal letter detailing the specific defect, referencing Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and giving a 14-day deadline to schedule repairs.

Step 2. Collect Proof

Build Your Evidence File

Keep a diary of all communication, store photos of structural deterioration, retain medical records showing health impacts (e.g., asthma triggered by mould), and save repair quotes.

Step 3. Council Enforcement

Request an EHO Inspection

Contact your council’s Environmental Health team. An EHO notice carries legal weight and prevents your landlord from retaliating with unlawful eviction attempts.

Step 4: Formal Legal Action

Serve a Disrepair Letter Before Action

If the landlord still refuses, send a pre-action protocol letter for housing disrepair. This signals your intent to file a court claim for an Injunction Order and financial compensation.

Common Situations

Situations Renters Face — And What to Do

These are the most common scenarios our members experience, where landlord not doing repairs or landlord ignoring repair requests. Find your situation and follow the recommended steps.

Landlord ignoring messages about repairs

You have texted or called your landlord multiple times about a broken boiler or leaking roof. They say they will sort it but never do. The problem is getting worse.

→ Stop relying on verbal communication. Send a formal written repair request letter immediately. This creates a legal record and starts the Awaab's Law repair timeline.

Landlord says the damage is your fault

Your landlord claims the mould or damage was caused by you and refuses to arrange a repair. You disagree and believe it is a structural issue.

→ Document with dated photos. Write formally requesting an independent inspection. Do not accept liability verbally. Submit a Situation Review for an assessment.

No heating or hot water in winter

Your boiler has broken and your landlord is not responding urgently. You have children or vulnerable people in the household and the property is cold.

→ This is an emergency under Awaab's Law. Send a written notice immediately. If no action within 24 hours, contact your local council's environmental health team.

Repair done badly or not at all

A contractor came out but did a poor job. The problem has returned within weeks. Your landlord says the repair is complete and refuses to return.

→ Write formally confirming the repair was inadequate and the issue has returned. This creates a second complaint on record and strengthens any future escalation.

Damp and mould being ignored

You have reported damp or black mould repeatedly. Your landlord dismisses it as condensation and tells you to open windows more. It is affecting your health.

→ Under Awaab's Law, your landlord must investigate within 10 days and fix within 5 days. Send a formal letter citing Awaab's Law by name.

Landlord threatening eviction for complaining

After raising repair issues your landlord has suggested they may not renew your tenancy or has started making your life difficult. Retaliatory eviction protections are set out in Section 33, Deregulation Act 2015.

→ This is retaliatory eviction and is illegal under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Document every communication and contact us immediately.

Strict Legal Deadlines Your Landlord Must Meet

Awaab’s Law is now legally in force for social housing tenants. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will extend similar duties to private landlords, but the government has not yet confirmed the exact timeframes for private tenancies. The figures below show the confirmed social housing deadlines, a strong indicator of what’s coming for private renters, and useful evidence if you have a landlord not doing repairs and need to push for action now.

24h

Emergency Repairs

Gas leaks, no heating in winter, structural danger, severe flooding, broken locks. Must start within 24 hours of written notification.

✓ In Force

10d

Damp Investigation

Hazardous damp or mould must be investigated within 10 days. Your landlord cannot delay this with excuses about contractors.

✓ In Force

5d

Damp & Mould Fix

Once investigated, hazardous damp or mould must be fixed within 5 days. No cost or workload excuse is accepted.

✓ In Force

28d

General Repairs

Non-urgent repairs must be completed within a reasonable time — typically 28 days from your written repair request.

✓ In Force

How We Help

Support for Tenants Whose Landlord Won't Do Repairs

Renters Rights Act Services gives you the repair notices, evidence templates and case support to force action against a landlord not doing repairs, without paying solicitor fees. If your landlord has been turning up unannounced to inspect, see our guidance on [landlords entering without permission].

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Formal Repair Request Letter

Written repair notice citing Awaab’s Law timescales. Creates legal paper trail.

Members Only

Repair

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Repair Request Log & Timeline Tracker

Log every repair request with dates, responses, and Awaab’s Law deadline tracking.

Members Only

Repair

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Situation Review

Submit your details and documents. We map your issue, flag key dates, and outline your options.

Members Only

Review

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Call Support

Not sure where to start? We’ll listen to your situation and point you in the right direction.

Members Only

Support

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does my landlord have to fix a repair?

Under Awaab’s Law, emergency repairs must begin within 24 hours. Hazardous damp must be investigated within 10 days and fixed within 5 days after investigation. General repairs — typically 28 days.

What counts as an emergency repair?

No heating or hot water in cold weather, gas leaks, severe flooding, dangerous electrical faults, structural collapse risk, and broken locks making the property insecure.

Can my landlord evict me for complaining about repairs?

No. Retaliatory eviction is illegal under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. If a landlord not doing repairs threatens eviction after you raise the issue, document everything immediately and contact us.

Can I withhold rent if repairs are not done?

You should not withhold rent without formal legal advice — it can put your tenancy at risk. Instead, escalate through formal letters, the council’s environmental health team, and if necessary, the Tribunal.

What is a Rent Repayment Order?

A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) is a First-tier Tribunal order requiring your landlord to repay up to 12 months of rent if they have breached their legal obligations, including repair duties. Rent Repayment Orders are made under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

What if my landlord says the damage is my fault?

Your landlord must investigate before making this claim. Request an inspection in writing. If you disagree, escalate to your council’s environmental health team for an independent assessment.

What is the council's role in repair disputes?

Your local council’s environmental health team can inspect your property and issue an improvement notice. This carries legal force and your landlord must comply — it is not optional.

Do I need a solicitor to report a repair issue?

No. Most repair disputes can be resolved through a formal letter and council escalation. Our templates and Situation Review service give you everything you need without solicitor fees.