What is a private rented property?
- A privately rented property is a home owned by an individual. They allow tenants to live there for a fee.
Landlords must ensure their property is safe and habitable. They must also maintain it to a suitable standard. This includes making repairs to meet health and safety rules. They are responsible for most repairs, including:
- Structural and external issues. This includes leaking roofs and gutters. It also includes rotting floorboards and ceilings.
- Damp and mould issues. This includes rising and penetrating damp.
- Utilities and essential systems. This includes defective electricals, faulty gas or water pipes. It also includes broken water heaters and boilers.
- Plumbing fixtures. This includes broken toilets, sinks, baths, and showers.
- Windows and frames. This includes damaged or rotting window frames.
Tenant responsibilities
Tenants are responsible for basic upkeep and minor tasks, such as:
- Keeping the property ventilated to prevent damp and mould. See our damp and mould guide.
- Small maintenance tasks. This includes unblocking sinks. It also includes changing bulbs and batteries.
- Maintaining outdoor spaces. This includes garden areas.
- Internal decoration. This is unless otherwise stated in the agreement.
- Keeping the property clean, secure, and well maintained.
Managing disrepair issues with your landlord
You should notify your landlord as soon as you become aware of a problem. You must contact your landlord or agent about your complaint. We cannot address any issues until you have done this first.
Allow your landlord enough time to carry out repairs. For example, if your boiler breaks, they may need to order parts to repair it. Allow access for your landlord or tradespeople to make repairs.
If your landlord fails to repair, complain to them in writing. Do not withhold your rent. It won't prompt your landlord to repair anything and may risk your tenancy. Avoid waiting until after you’ve moved out to contact us. This makes it extremely difficult for us to take action.
Reporting a privately rented house issue
To report an issue at a privately rented home, you will need to provide:
- Property details (full address and postcode)
- Landlord or agent details. Including: name, address, email, and phone number.
- Issue details. Including type of issue and further details.
- Proof of contact (copy of email, text message, or details of verbal contact)
- Photo evidence. For example an image that supports the issue.
What happens next?
- An officer will review your report within five working days. We will contact your landlord or managing agent. We will ask them to investigate your complaint and take action. They will need to update us within two weeks on their steps to resolve the issue.
- If your issue is a priority 1 repair, we will tell your landlord to act immediately. An example is if you have no heating or hot water, or a severe leak.
- If your landlord does not act within the time given, we may inspect the property. We will assess the problem and decide if we need to take action.