Reporting repairs in a rented home

Report a repair to the person responsible for your home and keep a dated record of the problem, its effects and the response. A useful report makes it easier to identify the issue and arrange access; it does not require you to diagnose the fault.

Deal with immediate danger first

For a fire or immediate danger to life, call 999. If you suspect a gas leak, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 and follow its instructions; the HSE emergency guidance explains the immediate precautions. Do not use a suspected unsafe gas appliance or wait for a routine email reply.

For urgent property problems, use the actual landlord's or manager's emergency contact. Keep it somewhere accessible before you need it. Bath Renting Guide cannot receive repair requests or arrange attendance.

Describe what is happening

Include the address and room in the message you send privately, when you first noticed the problem, whether it is getting worse and which essential facilities you cannot use. Explain any immediate effect on access, heating, water or security.

Attach relevant photographs if it is safe and appropriate. Record facts such as “water is dripping from the ceiling above the bath” rather than guessing which pipe failed. Mention earlier reports using their dates or reference numbers.

The government repairs guidance describes responsibilities for matters including the structure, heating, sanitation and electrical wiring. It advises reporting health-related faults promptly and continuing to pay rent while repairs are awaited. Do not withhold rent or arrange deductions on the strength of this checklist; obtain advice about your own circumstances.

An example report you can adapt

The following is a fictional structure, not a completed complaint or a legal notice:

Subject: Repair report — water below kitchen sink

I noticed water collecting inside the kitchen sink cupboard on [date]. It appears after the tap has been used. I have attached photographs showing the location and the amount visible today. I have not identified the cause or attempted a repair.

Please confirm receipt, advise on any immediate precautions and tell me how an inspection will be arranged. I am available at [times], or please suggest an alternative. My earlier report reference, if applicable, is [reference].

Replace the bracketed prompts before using it. For an urgent issue, use the emergency route first and retain a written follow-up afterwards.

Keep a repair chronology

Note agreed appointments and any changes. If someone calls, make a short contemporaneous note and confirm important practical arrangements in writing. Keep sensitive health or household details out of public reviews and send them only where needed to the appropriate adviser or authority.

Follow up and find local help

If the response is missing or the issue remains, refer to the earlier report and explain the current position. Ask what action is planned and when you will hear back. Preserve the chronology rather than replacing the original report with a new account.

B&NES's rented-home reporting service asks renters to tell their landlord first, preferably in writing, and provides a route where repairs or conditions are not addressed within a reasonable period. Its published examples distinguish emergency, urgent and other repairs. The council assesses the circumstances; its examples are not a universal statutory timetable for every case.

Use that service's own application and current contact details. If you need advice about remedies or a notice received after reporting a problem, approach Citizens Advice, Shelter or a qualified housing adviser with your documents. Students can also ask their university or students' union which support is available.

Current duties and future proposals

Checked on 3 November 2026: the government's 9 October consultation on Awaab's Law is about applying specified repair requirements to the private rented sector. Do not treat proposed private-sector deadlines as already in force or transfer social-housing timescales to every private letting. Existing repair and safety duties still apply.

Keep your report with your move-in inventory and use the rental changes page for the dated legal-status overview.