UnitCareLandlord repair responsibilities: what you must fix and how fast
This guide covers England. It's general information, not legal advice. Rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are different.
The short version
- You're responsible for the structure and outside of the building, water and drainage, heating and hot water, gas, and electrical wiring.
- The law doesn't set one deadline for every repair. You must act within a reasonable time, and faster for anything dangerous.
- Tenants can go to the council if repairs are ignored, and the council must act on serious hazards.
- Keep a dated record of every report and fix. It protects you as much as the tenant.
Repairs that are always the landlord's job
GOV.UK lists these as your responsibility, whatever the tenancy agreement says:
- the structure and outside of the property, such as the roof, walls, windows and gutters
- basins, sinks, baths, toilets and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains
- heating and hot water
- gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation
- electrical wiring
- fire safety
- any damage you cause while doing repairs
In blocks of flats, the landlord is usually responsible for shared areas like stairs and hallways. The tenancy agreement should say who does what.
What tenants are responsible for
Tenants should only do repairs if the tenancy agreement allows it, and you can't make them do repairs that are your job. They must pay for damage they, their family or their guests cause. They're also expected to report problems promptly and keep paying rent while they wait for a repair.
How fast you need to act
There's no single legal deadline for repairs. You have to act within a reasonable time once you know about the problem. In practice, "reasonable" depends on how serious it is. These are sensible targets to aim for. They are our suggestions, not legal deadlines:
| Type of problem | Examples | Suggested response |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | Gas smell, major leak, no heating in winter, dangerous wiring, can't lock the front door | Make it safe within 24 hours |
| Urgent | No hot water, broken toilet when there's only one, leaking roof | Within a few days |
| Routine | Dripping tap, sticking door, broken cupboard | Within a few weeks |
Remember that the clock starts when you're told. That's why it helps to have one clear way for tenants to report problems, with the date recorded.
What tenants can do if repairs are ignored
Tenants can contact the council's environmental health or private housing team. The council can inspect the home using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and must take action on serious hazards. Tenants can also take landlords to court over disrepair or a home that isn't fit to live in.
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, Awaab's Law is due to be extended to private rented homes, which would set fixed deadlines for some hazards like damp and mould. Read where that's up to.
Protect yourself with good records
If a repair ever turns into a dispute, the questions are always the same: when were you told, what did you do, and when was it fixed? Keep a record of:
- the date and time each problem was reported, and what the tenant said
- photos of the problem
- your replies, and any times you couldn't get access
- who did the work, the invoice, and the date it was fixed
UnitCare saves all of this automatically. Tenants report with photos by scanning a QR code, every message is kept with the report, and you can print the full history for any property.