How Long Do Landlords Have to Fix Problems In the UK?

Asking your landlord for repairs can be difficult. You may wonder what repairs they handle, and which ones are yours to deal with while worrying about threats of eviction. Once you figure this out, then you have to consider .

You have rights as a tenant. Your landlord must respect those rights in the same way that you should respect theirs. If you feel that your tenant rights are being ignored, there are several things you can do. DoNotPay will be happy to help you through the various steps of the process.

How to Ask Your Landlord for Repairs

The best and most effective way to handle asking for repairs from your landlord is to put it in writing. You should keep a copy of your letter for your personal records and send the letter to your landlord through a certified post.

When dealing with repair requests, it is important to make a paper trail to show that you have tried to get help with your problem. From there, the landlord must try to handle your problem within a reasonable amount of time.

According to landlord repairs laws in the UK, the will depend on your problem. The more extreme your problem is, the faster they should tackle the repairs.

Priority things include:

Broken boilers
No water
A lack of heat or hot water
Electrical issues
Structural damages (Those that make the home unstable)
Mold growth

If you have a major repair that is a high priority, your landlord should do the repairs in less than two weeks. Other repairs that are less major can take longer.

All other issues should still be dealt with by your landlord. However, they may wait longer. For instance, a leaky tap will not be a priority repair.

What if the Landlord Doesn’t Respond to Your Repair Request?

As soon as you can, once you have discovered a problem with your rental, gather evidence of the problem. In the same way that you keep a record of your correspondence with your landlord, you should also keep track of proof of the issue.

List of Suggested Evidence to Gather for Reporting Repair Issues
Letters	If you write to your landlord, keep copies, and get tracking for the post. You should keep an ongoing record of every written correspondence from your landlord or yourself.
Photographs	Take photographs of any damages or repairs that need to be dealt with by your landlord. This will allow you to keep a running record of how the damages increase because of their resistance to repairing it.
Receipts	If you have a leaky tap and end up replacing it yourself because the landlord doesn't take care of it, keep receipts. This will show proof that you have tried to work with them on it and may help if you need to be reimbursed for it.
GP Letters	For this, if there is something in your loft that is making you sick and your landlord isn't repairing it, letters can help you prove your case if it goes to court. Their notes will work in your favour to potentially get compensation for your medical bills.
Tenancy Agreement	Your tenancy agreement will show what repairs you are responsible for and which ones your landlord is supposed to handle. If there is nothing in it that says you are responsible for the repairs you are dealing with, it proves that your landlord agreed to take care of them.

How to File a Complaint Against Your Landlord

Regardless of the repairs that you need, your landlord's obligation is to take care of them. It is what they agree to when they commit to renting a property to you, and you should never have to worry about their neglect or repercussions such as a rent increase because you have asked. If they do, you have the right to file complaints against them.

You have three options when it comes to filing a complaint:

Contact your MP
Contact your local councillor
Contact a tenant panel

If this does not provide you with results, you will have the option to contact your council or local authority. As a last resort, you can notify your landlord that you plan to end the tenancy or take them to court. You get to choose which option is best for you, but we do recommend that you break your rental agreement if your health is being negatively affected by the home.

Can I Sue My Landlord for Not Making Necessary Repairs?

As a tenant, you can sue your landlord for a variety of reasons. Primarily, tenants use this option for repairs that aren't carried out by the landlord. Other reasons you can sue your landlord are:

Hazardous conditions (Fire, electric, bath, or showers)
Carbon monoxide in the home
Radiation leaks
Asbestos or other chemicals
Excessive heat or coldness (Dampness)
Faulty appliances or other issues where food is prepared
Lack of hot or cold water
Mould Growth
Structural Issues and Concerns
Misuse of your security deposit or failure to return it

If you feel you are justified in taking it to court, DoNotPay can help you with it. However, they can also help you tell your landlord that you wish to move out and break your tenancy to get them to do the right thing.

How to Use DoNotPay to Encourage Your Landlord to Make Repairs Now?

DoNotPay can guide you through virtually anything you are dealing with in your life. We're equipped to handle helping you remove an unwanted roommate, drafting a notice to end tenancy, or discovering how much notice your landlord must give you if they want you to move out.

When wondering, how long does a landlord have to fix something in the UK, we have the answers you are searching to find, but we can also file disputes on your behalf. The DoNotPay Landlord Protection Product can help you:

Resolve Disputes Over Repairs
Get Your Security Deposit Returned
Learn More About Eviction Laws and Procedures
Resolve Roommate Disputes
End a Lease Early

If you want to address lease issues in the UK but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 4 easy steps:

Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
Select which issue applies to you.
Answer a simple set of questions, so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter, and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.

And that's it! You should hear back from your landlord directly once your demands are sent.

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