Tenant repair rights in the UK: what you can ask for and how to escalate

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 puts three duties into almost every residential tenancy in England and Wales, whatever your written agreement says:

• Keep the structure and exterior in repair — walls, roof, floors, window frames, drains, gutters and external pipes.
• Keep the installations for water, gas, electricity and sanitation in repair and working order.
• Keep the installations for heating and hot water in repair and working order.

On top of that, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires the property to be fit to live in throughout the tenancy — covering things like serious damp and mould, unsafe electrics, infestation and excess cold.

• Everyday upkeep: light bulbs, smoke alarm batteries where your agreement says so, keeping filters and vents clear.
• Damage caused by you, your household or your visitors.
• Your own furniture, appliances and belongings.
• Using the property sensibly — heating and ventilating it, not blocking extractor fans, not flushing wipes.
• Reporting problems promptly and giving reasonable access for repairs.

Full detail on the bands is in our guide to what counts as an emergency repair.

1. Put it in writing. A message or email creates a date. A phone call leaves no proof.
2. Describe the effect, not just the fault. "No hot water since Monday, two young children in the flat" moves faster than "boiler broken".
3. Add photos or a short video. Visual evidence often removes the need for a diagnostic visit.
4. Say when you are available for access, so the appointment can be booked in one exchange.
5. Keep a copy of everything, including replies and appointment confirmations.
6. Chase in writing if the deadline passes, referencing the original report date.

• Formal written complaint to the landlord or agent, setting out dates and the effect on you.
• Letting agent redress scheme if an agent manages the property and their complaints process fails.
• Local council environmental health. They can inspect under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System and serve improvement notices; councils can issue civil penalties for serious breaches.
• Housing disrepair claim through the courts for the works and, in some cases, compensation.
• Free advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice before taking any step that affects your rent.

Retaliatory eviction protections exist where you have complained about disrepair and the council has served a relevant notice — another reason to keep everything in writing.

Most repair disputes are really record disputes. On Mainto, tenants report an issue in under a minute with photos, get a timestamped reference, see the tradesperson's name and appointment time, message them directly, and confirm when the work is genuinely done — the landlord's payment only releases once the tenant signs off. Nothing sits unread in someone's inbox.