Knowing who is responsible for a repair is only the first step. This borough renter’s repairs guide explains how to separate landlord and tenant duties, report faults clearly, document what happens next, and find local help when a repair is ignored or becomes urgent. Because housing rules vary by country, nation, tenancy type, and contract, use this as a practical reporting guide alongside your tenancy agreement and the current information published by your council or housing authority.
Overview
In most rented homes, the landlord or managing agent is responsible for keeping the property safe, weatherproof, and in reasonable repair. This commonly includes the structure, plumbing, electrical installation, heating system, sanitation, and any appliances or fixtures supplied as part of the tenancy. The exact duty depends on the agreement and the law applying to your home.
Tenants are usually expected to use the property reasonably, report problems promptly, take sensible steps to prevent avoidable damage, and repair or pay for damage caused by their own actions or negligence. Ordinary wear and tear is generally different from damage, but disputes often turn on evidence. Keep dated photographs, copies of messages, inspection notes, and receipts for any agreed expense.
Do not assume that a tenant must arrange or pay for every repair listed in the tenancy agreement. A contract cannot always remove legal duties that apply to the landlord. If a term appears unclear or unfair, ask a qualified housing adviser, tenant-support organisation, or the relevant council service before accepting liability.
How to compare options
When deciding what to do next, compare the repair by urgency, responsibility, evidence, and escalation route.
- Urgency: Could the problem threaten health, safety, security, or the habitability of the home? A serious leak, exposed wiring, loss of heating in cold conditions, blocked sanitation, gas concern, or insecure external door needs faster attention than a cosmetic defect.
- Responsibility: Check whether the fault concerns the building, a landlord-supplied installation or appliance, tenant belongings, or damage caused by an occupant. Read the relevant tenancy clause, but do not treat it as the only source of information.
- Reporting channel: Use the landlord’s stated repairs portal, email address, telephone line, or managing agent. If you report by phone, follow up in writing so there is a record.
- Evidence: Record when the issue began, where it is located, what is affected, and whether it is getting worse. Avoid unsafe experiments or dismantling equipment.
- Escalation: Give a reasonable written opportunity to respond, then use the landlord’s complaints process, the council’s housing or environmental health route, an ombudsman where applicable, or independent tenant advice.
For local context, keep the council’s housing, private renting, environmental health, and emergency out-of-hours pages bookmarked. Council boundaries and reporting systems differ, so search for the council responsible for the property rather than relying on a neighbouring borough’s form.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Issue | Usually the landlord or agent | Usually the tenant | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure and weatherproofing | Roof, walls, windows, external doors, and major structural defects, subject to the applicable rules. | Report faults promptly and avoid causing damage. | Photograph the defect and explain whether water, drafts, security, or access is affected. |
| Urgent hazards | Arrange a suitable response to serious risks and communicate what happens next. | Take reasonable steps to stay safe and allow access where properly arranged. | If there is immediate danger, leave the area and contact the appropriate emergency service. Report the repair in writing as soon as practical. |
| Damp and mould | Investigate building-related causes such as leaks, penetration, defective ventilation, or heating problems, rather than simply covering the symptoms. | Ventilate and heat the home reasonably where possible, report signs early, and do not remove hazardous mould without suitable precautions. | Photograph affected rooms, note dates and symptoms, and request an inspection. Seek medical advice for health concerns. |
| Heating and hot water | Maintain landlord-supplied systems and arrange qualified repair work where required. | Report loss of heating or hot water promptly and avoid attempting gas or electrical repairs. | State who is affected, the indoor conditions if relevant, and whether vulnerable residents live in the property. |
| Appliances and fixtures | Usually repair or replace items supplied with the property, unless the tenant caused the damage or the agreement clearly assigns a lawful maintenance duty. | Use appliances as instructed, clean accessible filters where appropriate, and report unusual sounds, leaks, or electrical faults. | Identify the make, model, location, and visible error message. Do not continue using an unsafe appliance. |
| Tenant-caused damage | May still need to make the home safe, while seeking recovery of a reasonable cost where the tenant is responsible. | Report the incident honestly and ask for a written assessment before authorising work. | Keep evidence showing the cause and condition. Do not admit liability before understanding the issue. |
| Deposit-related issues | Should explain proposed deductions and follow the applicable deposit-protection or dispute process. | Keep the check-in inventory, check-out report, photographs, and repair correspondence. | Challenge unsupported deductions through the relevant deposit scheme or advice route. |
| Council enforcement | May need to respond when a property presents hazards or minimum housing standards are not met. | Can ask the council about housing, environmental health, licensing, or private-renting enforcement options. | Use the council’s official reporting route and retain the reference number. |
| Tenant-support organisations | Not a substitute for carrying out repairs, but may help clarify rights and escalation. | Can seek advice from a local housing charity, law centre, renters’ group, advice service, or solicitor. | Bring the tenancy agreement, timeline, photographs, and all replies. |
Repair timeframes are not one universal number. A deadline depends on the hazard, the tenancy, the landlord’s obligations, and local rules. Ask for a target date and the name of the person handling the case instead of relying on a vague promise that someone will attend soon.
A reusable repair-report template
Subject: Repair request: [address] — [problem]
“I am reporting [describe the fault] at [room or exact location]. It began on [date] and is [getting worse/unchanged]. It affects [heating, hot water, security, access, sanitation, or another service]. I have attached photographs taken on [date]. Please confirm receipt, the proposed action, and the expected attendance or completion date. Please let me know if you need access and provide reasonable notice where applicable. Because this may involve [a safety risk, water ingress, damp and mould, or loss of an essential service], please treat it according to its urgency.”
Send the message through the normal repair channel and keep a copy. If the problem is urgent, make the phone call as well, recording the time, number, and name of the person spoken to.
Best fit by scenario
- Minor, non-urgent defect: Use the standard repair route, provide clear photographs, and group related items into one written request.
- Loss of heating, hot water, sanitation, or security: Report immediately, explain the impact, and ask for an urgent response. Follow any out-of-hours instructions in your tenancy documents.
- Damp or mould: Report the visible problem and possible cause together. Mention leaks, condensation, ventilation defects, damaged windows, or rooms that cannot be heated. Keep a dated record of recurrence.
- Landlord says you caused the damage: Ask for the basis of that view, the proposed repair, and an itemised cost if payment is requested. Seek advice before agreeing to a deduction or invoice.
- No response: Send a written chase referencing the original report. Then use the landlord’s complaints process and contact the relevant council or tenant-support organisation if the issue remains unresolved.
- Moving out while a repair is open: Keep the complete correspondence and photograph the condition at check-out. Ask for confirmation of how the outstanding repair and any deposit claim will be handled.
For broader moving and living information, the Borough Cost of Living Guide can help with planning recurring household costs, while the guide to following borough news and community updates explains how to track local changes that may affect residents.
When to revisit
Return to this guide whenever you move into a new rented home, sign a new tenancy, receive an inspection report, discover a new fault, or need to chase an overdue repair. Review the official council reporting pages and housing-law guidance at least twice a year, and again after a regulatory change, because contact details, complaint routes, enforcement arrangements, and tenant protections can change.
For a practical next step, create a repairs folder today. Save your tenancy agreement, inventory, landlord and agent details, council housing link, emergency instructions, photographs, repair reference numbers, and a simple timeline. When a problem appears, report it in writing, record the response deadline you were given, and escalate through the correct route if that deadline passes. Clear records will not solve every dispute, but they make the issue easier for the landlord, council, adviser, or ombudsman to assess.
