Section 11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985: a plain-English guide for landlords

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 is a statutory repairing covenant. It means that certain repair duties are automatically part of most residential tenancy agreements, even if the written contract says nothing about repairs. The landlord cannot opt out of these duties, and any clause that tries to do so is void.

The section applies to tenancies granted for a term of less than seven years. That covers the vast majority of assured shorthold tenancies and periodic tenancies in the private rented sector. It does not apply to fixed-term tenancies granted before 1961, long leases, or commercial premises.

Section 11 places three specific duties on the landlord:

• Structure and exterior: keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling-house, including drains, gutters and external pipes.
• Water, gas, electricity and sanitation: keep in repair and proper working order the installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity, and for sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences).
• Heating and hot water: keep in repair and proper working order the installations for space heating and water heating.

The duty is to keep in repair, not necessarily to improve. A landlord is not required to put the property in a better condition than it was at the start of the tenancy. However, if something is in disrepair and the tenant is not responsible, the landlord must usually fix it.

Over the years, courts have decided that "structure and exterior" includes:

• Walls, roofs, ceilings and floors.
• External and internal doors, window frames and external windows.
• Drains, gutters, external pipes and gullies.
• Plasterwork and external decorations.

It generally does not cover items that are decorative or purely cosmetic, such as internal paintwork, unless the deterioration is linked to disrepair. Carpets, curtains and tenant-owned appliances are also outside the scope.

Section 11 covers the fixed installations that supply essential services. That includes the boiler, radiators, pipework, flues, water tanks, toilets, sinks, baths, electrical wiring, fuse boxes and gas pipework.

Appliances supplied by the landlord — such as a washing machine, cooker or fridge — are not strictly within Section 11, but they may be covered by the contract or by general landlord obligations. If a landlord provides an appliance, they are usually responsible for keeping it safe and in working order.

Section 11 says repairs must be carried out "within a reasonable time" after the landlord has notice of the need for repair. The exact period depends on the circumstances. Courts and housing officers look at:

• The seriousness of the defect and the risk to health and safety.
• The type of property and the age and condition it was in at the start.
• How quickly the tenant reported the problem.
• What steps the landlord took after being notified.

As a rule of thumb: emergency repairs affecting safety, heating or water are expected within 24 hours; urgent repairs within a few days; and routine repairs within about 28 days. Delays beyond these without good reason can support a disrepair claim or council action.

The landlord's duty under Section 11 is triggered once they know about the disrepair. The tenant does not need to write a formal letter — a text, email or phone call can be enough. The best practice is to report the issue in writing and keep a dated copy.

Landlords have a right to enter the property to inspect and carry out repairs, but they must give at least 24 hours' written notice and visit at a reasonable time of day, unless it is a genuine emergency. Tenants must not unreasonably refuse access.

Section 11 is not the only rule landlords must follow. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 adds a wider duty that the property must be fit to live in throughout the tenancy. The Housing Health and Safety Rating System identifies 29 hazards, including damp, mould, excess cold, unsafe electrics and falls.

Landlords also have specific certification duties: an annual gas safety certificate (CP12), a valid electrical installation condition report (EICR) at least every five years, and a valid energy performance certificate (EPC). These are separate from Section 11 but work alongside it.

If a landlord fails to carry out Section 11 repairs, there are several enforcement routes:

• Council inspection: the tenant can ask the local council's environmental health team to inspect. Category 1 hazards can lead to improvement notices, emergency remedial action and civil penalties of up to £30,000.
• Court claim: the tenant can bring a housing disrepair claim for an order requiring the works and, in some cases, compensation for inconvenience and damage to belongings.
• Deposit dispute: if a landlord tries to deduct for damage that is actually disrepair, the tenant can challenge it through the deposit protection scheme.

Most Section 11 disputes are not about whether the work was needed — they are about when the tenant reported the problem, when the landlord acted, and what was agreed. A clear, dated record is the best defence.

Mainto keeps this record automatically. Tenants report issues in one shared thread, AI triage assigns urgency, vetted tradespeople quote, and every approval, visit and completion is logged against the property. When a council inspection or disrepair claim comes up, the full audit trail is already there.