Housing conditions

Your landlord is responsible for repairs and maintenance of the exterior and the structure of the property, as well as the plumbing, wiring and heating.

As a tenant you must:

• Report any repairs needed to your landlord straight away in writing.
• Make sure your home is well ventilated to help avoid condensation.
• Do minor maintenance such as checking smoke alarms and changing light bulbs.
• Dispose of your rubbish properly.

You must not damage internal decoration, furniture or equipment provided by your landlord as you will be responsible for paying for anything broken or damaged.

You should give your landlord access to your home to see if repairs are needed. Your landlord must:

• Give you at least 24 hours written notice.
• Inspect at a reasonable time of day.

You should also allow access to trade people or engineers if your landlord has arranged repairs or essential maintenance (such as a gas safety check).

You must check your tenancy agreement before making any changes to your agreement, such as taking in a lodger, getting a pet, parking a caravan outside the property, or redecorating. Any of these could be in breach of your contract. If you wish to make any changes to your agreement, you must write to your landlord and keep copies of all communication. Your landlord may have the right to refuse your request.

You can be held responsible for the behaviour of anyone who lives with you or visits you in your home. Your landlord might take steps to evict you if they receive complaints of noise nuisance or anti-social behaviour from neighbours or other tenants in the property.

When to ask for help

The Private Sector Housing team can intervene when your Landlord is not meeting their repair obligations and can enforce against them to take action.

If you are concerned that your landlord has not made necessary repairs despite them being requested, or you are concerned that something in your property is immediately dangerous, contact us and we will step in to offer assistance.

If you are concerned about something that is not immediately dangerous, make sure that you have written to your landlord to advise of the repair needed. Allow them 14 days to respond before contacting us.

To report a repair issue in your property please complete our online form below.

Report a property repair issue