Social housing: how to sort damp, mould and building repairs for free
Most should use their 'Right to Repair' – not a claims firms
Are you a social housing tenant struggling to get damp, mould or building repair issues sorted? You may have seen adverts on social media promising compensation for the inconvenience – but many are misleading and charge hefty fees. This guide explains how you can report repair issues and get them fixed at no cost to yourself
Your landlord is responsible for most disrepair
If you live in social housing – meaning you either rent from your council or a housing association – then your landlord is responsible for fixing most disrepair issues.
Generally, your landlord will be responsible for repairing the following:
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The structure of your home. Such as problems with foundations, walls, floors and roof.
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Damp, mould and condensation issues. As well as problems with insulation.
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Electricity, water and gas supplies. For example, leaking pipes, broken taps, plumbing problems or issues with your boiler.
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Areas of the building shared with other social housing tenants. Such as staircases, lifts or outdoor areas. It can also cover anti-social behaviour in shared spaces or accessibility requirements.
On the other hand, you'll typically be responsible for addressing smaller repairs. For instance, you'll likely need to replace lightbulbs or make good anything you've damaged.
Below we go into more detail about exactly what type of disrepair your landlord is responsible for fixing and how quickly it's normally expected to be done, and explain how to complain to a social housing landlord if you're unhappy with the action it's taken.
But before we go any further, a brief warning...
Most social housing tenants should AVOID claims firms
Claims firms which help social housing tenants who are struggling to get disrepair issues fixed charge hefty fees, so most social housing tenants should AVOID claims firms and simply follow the free official channels to get housing disrepair fixed.
Social housing repair rights – what your landlord should fix and how quickly
Under legislation known as Right to Repair, social housing landlords across the UK are responsible for paying for certain repairs to their properties and ensuring these repairs are completed within a specific timeframe.
However, the exact rules vary depending on whether you live in England / Wales / Scotland / Northern Ireland.
England
In England, all social housing landlords must carry out repairs – but some council tenants have extra rights
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If you're a council tenant, you may have extra protections under England's statutory Right to Repair scheme. This applies to certain small, urgent repairs where the repair is expected to cost no more than £250 and your council landlord owns 100 or more qualifying homes.
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If you're a housing association tenant – or your council owns fewer than 100 qualifying homes – the statutory Right to Repair scheme doesn't apply. However, your landlord still has legal responsibilities to carry out repairs, and many housing associations and smaller councils publish their own repair standards and target times.
If the Right to Repair scheme applies to you, these are the repairs your council should complete within the following timeframes:
Timeframe | Type of repair |
|---|---|
1 working day | - Complete loss of electricity |
3 working days | - Partial loss of electricity |
7 working days | - Broken door entry phone |
If repairs aren't completed within these timeframes, you'll be due £10 compensation. For each additional day beyond the timeframe, you'll get another £2 – capped at £50 per issue. If you take a complaint to an Ombudsman it may order further compensation on top of this.
Different timescales apply for certain dangerous and emergency issues – such as a broken window in a high-rise flat, gas leak, dangerous electrical issue or dangerous level of mould or damp.
Wales
There isn't statutory Right to Repair scheme in Wales. Instead, council and housing association landlords have legal duties to keep your home fit for human habitation and in repair, including the structure of the property and installations such as heating, hot water, electricity and sanitation.
In addition, since 1 April 2026, social housing landlords must also investigate and fix serious health hazards within set timescales.
Relevant issues include damp and mould, excess cold or heat, contaminants like lead or asbestos, hygiene and sanitation, water supply, electrical hazards, structural collapse, unsecured entrances and exits, and more.
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If one of these issues could "present a significant risk" AND could "imminently" harm you or other residents, it needs to be investigated within 24 hours and make it safe within a further 24 hours.
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If one of these issues could "present a significant risk" but there's no likelihood of "imminent" harm to you or other residents, it needs to be investigated within 10 working days and fixed within a further 5 working days.
If it can't meet these timescales, it must provide you with a written plan explaining how and when the work will be completed.
If your landlord isn't fixing problems, complain to it first. If that doesn't resolve things, you can consider escalating your complaint or taking legal action.
Scotland
Under Right to Repair rules in Scotland, social housing landlords must pay for certain repairs and carry them out by a certain timeframe, provided the repair costs £350 or less.
Here are the types of repair a social housing landlord is responsible for:
Timeframe | Type of repair |
|---|---|
One working day | - Blocked flue due to open fire or boiler |
Three working days | - Partial loss of electric power |
Seven working days | - Mechanical extractor fan in internal kitchen or bathroom not working. |
If repairs aren't completed within these timeframes, you'll be due £15 compensation. For each additional day beyond the timeframe, you'll get another £3 – capped at £100 per issue. If you take a complaint to an Ombudsman it may order further compensation on top of this.
Different timescales apply for certain dangerous and emergency issues – such as a broken window in a high-rise flat, gas leak, dangerous electrical issue or dangerous level of mould or damp.
Landlords in Scotland must ensure your home meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard, so your home should:
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Be energy efficient, safe and secure
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Not be seriously damaged
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Have kitchens and bathrooms that are in good condition.
Northern Ireland
Under Right to Repair in Northern Ireland, social housing landlord must pay for certain repairs and carry them out by a certain timeframe, provided the repair costs £250 or less.
Here are the types of repair a social housing landlord is responsible for:
Timeframe | Type of repair |
|---|---|
1 working day | Emergency – including issues that impact your "safety, security or health" |
4 working days | Urgent – issues which cause "loss of facility" or are "likely to cause further deterioration" to your home |
28 working days | Routine – including issues "which can be delayed without serious inconvenience". |
If repairs aren't completed within these timeframes, you'll be due £10 compensation. For each additional day beyond the timeframe, you'll get another £2 – capped at £50 per issue. If you take a complaint to an Ombudsman it may order further compensation on top of this.
Landlords in Northern Ireland must make sure your home meets the Minimum Fitness Standards, which mean your home should:
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Be structurally stable
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Be free from serious disrepair and harmful damp
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Have adequate lighting, heating, ventilation, water, and waste management.
Important. Special rules for emergency and hazardous repairs
Since October 2025, extra deadlines have applied for social landlords to carry out repairs on 'emergency' and 'hazardous' issues in England, Scotland and Wales.
Under what's known as Awaab's Law, your landlord must:
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Investigate and address 'potential emergency hazards' within 24 hours. For example, a broken window in a high-rise flat, a gas leak, or a dangerous electrical issue. If it can't be addressed within 24 hours, the landlord must also offer to find you another place to stay until your home is safe.
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Investigate 'potential significant hazards' within 10 working days and fix them within the following five working days. For example, dangerous levels of damp or mould. If the problem can't be addressed within five working days, the landlord must offer to find you another place to stay until your home is safe.
With both emergency and significant hazards, your landlord must give you a written summary of their investigation findings within five working days of the end of their investigation into an issue.
If you're not happy with how your landlord's handled issues that fall under Awaab's Law, you should follow the same steps as outlined below – first complaining directly to your landlord, then escalating it further if necessary.
Important: From 30 November 2026, several additional issues will also be covered by Awaab's Law, including:
Electrical faults or hazards
Falls (including falls on the level, falls on stairs and falls between levels)
Fire risk
Excess cold or heat (which could be due to heating failures or broken windows, for example)
Structural collapse and falling elements (such as unsafe walls or ceilings)
Hygiene issues (which could include problems with pests, drainage or sanitation).
The guidelines for classifying these as either 'potential emergency hazards' or 'potential significant hazards', and the rules for how landlords address them, will stay the same.
How to complain about social housing disrepair
If you're unhappy with your social housing landlord – perhaps it's taken too long fix an issue or the repair is shoddy – then it's possible to complain and push for further action. You can even escalate your complaint elsewhere if the issue remains unresolved.
Here's the process to follow if you're struggling to get disrepair fixed:
Step 1. Raise a first complaint to your landlord
The first step is to raise an initial complaint directly with your landlord.
Most landlords have a two-step process for handling complaints, so consider this initial complaint to your landlord as the first of two before you can escalate your complaint elsewhere (though hopefully the issue will be resolved by then).
If you're struggling to find your landlord's contact details, see Gov.uk (England and Wales), the Scottish Housing Regulator or the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for further help.
Where your landlord doesn't respond within a reasonable timeframe (see more on this in the quick question below) or you're not happy with its response, you can move to stage two of the landlord's complaints process (details in step two).
Quick questions:
What details should I include in my complaint?
In your initial complaint to your landlord, you should include:
- Your full name, address and contact details.
- Why you're complaining.
- The impact the issue has had on you and your household.
- When you first reported the issue.
- Any action that's been taken by your landlord.
- What you believe the landlord should have done instead.
Also include any evidence, such as photos or receipts of any items you've purchased as a result. Keep a copy of the letter and when it was sent, and if sending by post, get proof of postage.
The Housing Ombudsman in England has a handy template letter, while Shelter (Scotland) also has a template letter.
If you'd prefer to complain over the phone, make sure you note down who you speak to, the time and date of your call and any reference number you were given.
How long does my landlord have to respond to my complaint?
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England. Your landlord must acknowledge a complaint of this kind within 5 working days and respond within 10 working days.
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Northern Ireland. The Housing Executive should acknowledge your complaint within three working days and respond within 10 working days.
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Scotland. Your landlord should respond within five working days.
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Wales. There's no timeframe, so you'll need to decide what's reasonable, however given the England deadline above, 5 working days to acknowledge and 10 working days to respond might be a good starting point.
If your landlord doesn't respond within these timeframe, or if you're not happy with their response, you can move to stage two of the complaints process.
Step 2. Raise a second, formal complaint to your landlord
Most landlords have a two-step complaints process, so if your initial complaint didn't help – perhaps a repair remains outstanding – you'll need to send a second, formal complaint.
When sending a formal complaint to your social housing landlord, use the same address and recipients (email, telephone number, building address) as you did for your initial complaint, so it's easier for the landlord to access the paper trail of events so far.
Quick questions:
What details should I include in a formal complaint?
In a formal complaint, you should include:
- Your full name, address and contact details.
- The fact you'd like to escalate your complaint to the next stage.
- The reason you're unhappy with the response you received after stage one.
- Any parts of your initial complaint your landlord missed or ignored.
- Why you think any remedies that were offered are not suitable.
- What you'd like your landlord to do next to resolve your complaint.
In England, the Housing Ombudsman has a handy template letter.
How long does my landlord have to respond to my formal complaint?
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England and Scotland. Your landlord must acknowledge a formal complaint within five working days and respond within 20 working days.
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Northern Ireland. The Housing Executive should acknowledge a formal complaint within three working days and respond within 20.
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Wales. There's no timeframe, so you'll need to decide what's reasonable.
Step 3. Escalate your complaint to an Ombudsman
If you've exhausted your landlord's complaints process and you're still unhappy – perhaps the disrepair still isn't fixed – you can escalate your complaint to an Ombudsman.
An Ombudsman is free to use, but which to use depends on which country you live:
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In England, the Ombudsman can order your landlord to carry out a range of actions if it upholds your complaint. This includes issuing an apology, taking specific actions, changing policies and procedures and even paying compensation.
In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, an Ombudsman can only make recommendations to a landlord (rather than force it to do something). Yet it's recommendation can any encompass any of the above, including compensation.
Quick questions:
How long will the Ombudsman take to handle my complaint?
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England. The Ombudsman will let you know how long it expects your complaint to take throughout the process. It can take up to two months to be assigned a caseworker to investigate your case.
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Northern Ireland. It depends on how complex your case is – it may take a few weeks, but in some cases can take longer.
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Scotland. The Ombudsman says it aims to complete most cases within 12 months, but it can take up to 18 months.
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Wales. The Ombudsman says that investigations can take around 12 months and longer if it's very complicated.
What if I disagree with the Ombudsman's decision?
You may be able to request a review of an Ombudsman's decision.
England and Scotland
If you're unhappy with the Ombudsman's decision, you can request a review. This must be done within three weeks of the initial decision in England and within four weeks in Scotland.
However, you can't do this just because you disagree with the Ombudsman's decision – instead, you must either:
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Have an issue with the facts or evidence used by the Ombudsman.
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Have discovered new facts or evidence that could impact its decision.
If the Ombudsman decides your case warrants a review, it will pass it along to an officer who was not previously working on your case, who will decide whether the Ombudsman's initial decision should be maintained or overturned.
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Wales
If you're unhappy with the Ombudsman's decision, you may be able to request a review. You can only request a review if the Ombudsman has decided:
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Not to investigate your complaint at all.
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To exclude part of your complaint from its investigation
You must raise this review within four weeks of receiving the Ombudsman's decision.
In your request, you must explain why you believe the Ombudsman hasn't properly considered the information you provided, and explain how that affected its eventual decision.
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Northern Ireland
You can't request a review if you're unhappy with the Ombudsman's decision. But you can complain about how the Ombudsman handled your case.
Step 4. Court action as a last resort
If you've exhausted the steps above and are determined to take your complaint further, the last resort is likely to take legal action.
This will be a stressful and costly process, so you'll need to weigh up if it's worth it. Free legal help may be available, though this is often only available for those who have serious disrepair issues or are on benefits and/or a low income.
For further help, see the Shelter, Shelter Scotland and Shelter Cymru websites.
Important. If you've started legal action against your landlord, an Ombudsman is unlikely to be able to help (or further help) with your case – so be sure to raise your case with an Ombudsman before taking legal action.
Claims firms will take take a cut of any compensation you're due – so most should avoid them
There are claims firms which can help with housing disrepair claims. Often their main claim is that they'll help you to obtain compensation.
However, a claims firm will take a cut of any compensation you get, normally 25% or potentially more. Or it may charge if you attempt to cancel after signing up.
So if you're struggling with disrepairs, your first port of call should always try the free, official channels in the steps above. Only consider a claims firm if your complaint is very complex and you don't feel able to manage it alone.
Also be aware there are some disreputable claims firms out there using misleading adverts to suggest they are official Government agencies or Government-backed. Take particular care to avoid claims firms like these.
If you're unsure whether something is an official Government agency, type 'Gov.uk' in to your web browser's address bar to go there directly.
Where to go for more help and support
Several charities have helpful and free resources for social housing tenants:
- Citizens Advice (England and Wales). Citizens Advice has detailed info on reporting repairs, making complaints and more. You can also chat with an adviser online, call for free (0800 144 8848 in England, 0800 702 2020 in Wales), or visit your local branch.
- Shelter (England and Scotland). Shelter offers advice on repair responsibilities, dealing with damp and mould, taking your landlord to court and more. You can reach out to Shelter's online chat service or call its emergency hotline.
- Shelter Cymru (Wales). Similar to the options above. See Shelter Cymru.
- Housing Rights (Northern Ireland). Housing Rights has lots of useful resources and you can also speak to an advisor via live chat, telephone or email.
- Age UK (UK-wide). Age UK is available to older people across the UK, and offers information on renting from councils and housing associations. You can also contact Age UK's free advice telephone line or visit your local Age UK branch.
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