Complaints about housing conditions
If you privately rent and struggling with your landlord to get repairs done, we may be able to help you.
We can investigate hazards within the home by using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) as set out by the Housing Act 2004. We have legal powers to secure improvements.
Look at our checklist to assist you in identifying any hazards within our home and the severity of these hazards.
Where significant and serious hazards are found (known as Category 1 hazards), the Council has a duty to take action.
Your landlord may need to provide additional escape and fire protection if you live in:
- shared accommodation
- a bedsit
- a self-contained flat
- hostel or lodging
Before making a complaint to us
If you believe there is a hazard within your home, you should contact your landlord to try and resolve the issue. If you rent through a letting agent, this s usually who you should contact first.
It is advisable you do this in writing. Here is a template letter to assist you in constructing a letter to your landlord. This can be set via post or an email attachment. It is good practice to keep a record.
Your landlord or agent must carry out repairs within a reasonable time if you tell them about the problem. For example, if you report an emergency repair such as a broken boiler, it could be reasonable for your landlord to carry out repairs within 24 hours. If the disrepair is not an emergency, allow 28 days.
How to raise an issue for us to investigate
If these informal negotiations have failed to resolve the issues, then contact the council and make a formal complaint about the condition of the property - using the form below.
We have a legal duty to serve a Notice of Intended Entry on the owner(s) of any property that we wish to inspect. This notifies them of the reason for the inspection and the potential enforcement action. The Landlord is entitled to be present during an inspection.
We cannot carry out home visits to assess your current living conditions, without first making your Landlord aware of the nature of the complaints made. We do not investigate any anonymous complaints.
Make a complaint