Guide
Council House Repairs: Timescales & How to Escalate
A plain-English guide to council repair timescales in England: what counts as emergency, urgent and routine, how to report and chase repairs, and how to escalate when things go wrong.
Landlord Record is independent and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Housing Ombudsman Service. We organise and analyse decisions published under the Open Government Licence.
If you live in a council house in England, your council landlord is responsible for keeping the property in repair. Most councils group repairs into three categories — emergency, urgent and routine — and each category has its own expected response time. Knowing which category your repair falls into, how to report it, and what to do when the council misses its target can save you weeks of frustration. Our analysis of 16,224 published Housing Ombudsman decisions shows repairs delays feature in 11,274 determinations — one of the most common themes residents raise.
Who is responsible for repairs in a council house?
Your council is responsible for maintaining the structure and exterior of your home and for keeping the supply of heating, hot water, electricity, gas and water in working order. This includes the roof, walls, gutters, drains, windows, doors, boilers, radiators, wiring and plumbing. The exact list is set out in your tenancy agreement and in the relevant housing legislation, but the broad principle is that the landlord must keep the property wind and watertight and the essential services safe and working.
You are usually responsible for small jobs that a reasonable tenant could do themselves — changing light bulbs, replacing fuse cartridges, keeping the garden tidy, and internal decoration. You are also expected to report repairs promptly; if a small leak turns into major damage because you did not tell the council, you may share some of the blame. If you are unsure who is responsible for a specific issue, check your tenancy agreement or ask the council for a copy of its repairs policy.
Repair categories and typical timescales
Every council sets its own repairs policy, so the exact timescales vary. The table below shows the categories and response times most councils use:
| Category | Common examples | Typical response |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | Total loss of heating in winter, gas leak, unsafe electrics, major uncontained water leak, broken toilet (only one), structural damage | Within 24 hours |
| Urgent | Partial heating loss, leaking roof, broken window, blocked sink, loose handrail | Up to 7 days |
| Routine | Minor plumbing, plastering, fencing, door adjustments, external decoration | Up to 28 days (sometimes longer) |
These timescales are targets, not legal deadlines in themselves. However, if your council repeatedly misses them without good reason, that can amount to maladministration. The Housing Ombudsman has found against landlords for failing to carry out repairs within their own stated timescales, for poor record-keeping about repair requests, and for leaving residents without essential services for extended periods. You can see how repairs feature in complaints by browsing responsive repairs decisions.
How to report a council repair
Report the repair as soon as you notice it. Most councils accept reports online, by phone and by email. Online portals are usually best because they create an automatic record, but if you phone, follow up with an email summarising what you reported and when. Ask for a reference number and keep a copy of your report. If your council has a repairs app, use it and take a screenshot of your submission for your records.
Be specific in your description. State the exact location of the problem, when it started, and how it is affecting you. If the issue is getting worse — for example, a small damp patch that is now spreading — say so. Attach photographs if you can. The clearer your report, the harder it is for the council to claim it did not understand the urgency.
If the repair poses an immediate risk to health or safety, use the council\'s emergency out-of-hours number. Do not wait for the normal repairs line to open. Make a note of who you spoke to, what they said, and any reference number you were given.
How to chase a repair
If the council misses its own target, chase it in writing. Refer to your original report, quote the reference number, and remind the council of its stated response time. Set a clear deadline for a response — for example, "Please confirm when the repair will be carried out within the next 48 hours."
Keep a diary of every contact: dates, names, what was said, and what was promised. Take dated photographs showing that the problem is still unresolved. If the council sends a contractor who does not turn up, notes that down too. This evidence will be essential if you later escalate to a formal complaint or the Housing Ombudsman.
If the repair is urgent and the council is not acting, you can also contact your local council\'s environmental health team. Environmental health has powers to inspect hazards and can require the landlord to carry out works. This is separate from the complaints process and can run alongside it.
How to escalate a council repair complaint
If reporting and chasing do not work, escalate through your council\'s formal complaints process. Ask for your complaint to be logged as a Stage 1 complaint. Under the Housing Ombudsman\'s Complaint Handling Code, the council must acknowledge your complaint promptly and respond within ten working days. If it needs more time, it must explain why and give you a revised date.
If the Stage 1 response is inadequate, ask for a Stage 2 review. This is the final stage of the council\'s internal process. The council then has twenty working days to issue a final response. Once Stage 2 is complete — or if the council fails to respond within a reasonable time — you can take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. For a full walkthrough, see our guide to how to complain about your housing association.
The Housing Ombudsman is a free, independent service. You can submit a complaint online and you no longer need a designated person to refer it. The Ombudsman will check that your complaint is within its jurisdiction, gather evidence, and reach a determination on each part of your complaint. If it finds maladministration, it can order the council to apologise, carry out the repair, pay compensation, review its policy, and train staff. For more on what maladministration means, see our what is maladministration guide.
Right to Repair scheme
If you are a council tenant in England, you may have rights under the Right to Repair scheme. This scheme applies to a set list of qualifying repairs — sometimes called "qualifying repairs" or "preset right to repair works" — such as unsafe power sockets, leaking roofs, and broken heating systems. Each qualifying repair has a statutory "cost limit" and a set timescale, usually shorter than the council\'s general policy.
If the council does not complete a qualifying repair within the statutory timescale, you can claim compensation. The amount is fixed by law and increases the longer the repair is delayed. Alternatively, you may be able to arrange the repair yourself and claim the cost back from the council, subject to the scheme\'s limits. The scheme does not apply to housing association tenants or to repairs that are above the cost limit. Our Right to Repair explained guide covers the full list of qualifying repairs and the claiming process.
You do not have to choose between the Right to Repair scheme and the Ombudsman — they are different routes for different problems. The Right to Repair is a statutory scheme for specific qualifying repairs that miss their deadline. The Ombudsman looks at the overall handling of your complaint and can make broader orders. You can use both, or either, depending on your situation.
Can you get compensation for late or missed repairs?
Yes. The Housing Ombudsman can order compensation where it finds that the council handled your repair unreasonably. Common grounds include: failing to respond to a report within the council\'s own timescale, repeatedly cancelling appointments, poor communication, failing to keep adequate records, and leaving you without an essential service for a prolonged period. The compensation reflects the severity and duration of the failing and its impact on you — not the cost of the repair itself.
In addition, council tenants may be entitled to fixed compensation under the Right to Repair scheme for qualifying repairs that miss the statutory deadline. This is a separate entitlement from any Ombudsman award and does not require a finding of maladministration. If you are unsure which route applies, start by checking whether your repair is on the statutory qualifying list.
For more on how the Ombudsman calculates compensation, see our compensation guide. You can also browse responsive repairs compensation data to see the range of awards made for repair-related failings.
Our index currently holds 16,224 published determinations across 603 landlords. Every statistic is drawn from published Housing Ombudsman decisions — Landlord Record analysis of Housing Ombudsman decisions (OGL v3.0). Search the decisions or browse the responsive repairs category.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
How long do council repairs take?
It depends on the category. Emergency repairs — such as a total loss of heating in winter, a gas leak or unsafe electrics — should be started within 24 hours. Urgent repairs, including a leaking roof or broken window, are usually expected within 7 days. Routine repairs, such as minor plumbing or fencing, are normally completed within 28 days, though some councils allow longer. Check your council's repairs policy for its exact timescales.
What is an emergency council repair?
An emergency repair is one that puts your health, safety or security at immediate risk. Examples include a major water leak that cannot be contained, total loss of heating during cold weather, unsafe electrics, a gas leak, structural damage that makes the property unsafe, and a blocked or broken toilet if there is only one in the home. Your council should have an out-of-hours number for emergencies.
What do I do if the council won't repair my home?
Keep reporting the issue in writing, take dated photographs, and keep a record of every contact. If the council still does not act, escalate through its formal complaints process. You can also contact your local council's environmental health team if the disrepair is a health or safety hazard. If the matter remains unresolved, you can take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. Council tenants may also have rights under the Right to Repair scheme for qualifying repairs.
Can I get compensation for late council repairs?
Yes, in some circumstances. The Housing Ombudsman can order compensation where it finds maladministration — for example if the council unreasonably delayed a repair, failed to keep you informed, or did not follow its own policy. Council tenants may also be able to claim fixed compensation under the Right to Repair scheme when a qualifying repair is not completed within the statutory timescale.
Who is responsible for repairs in a council house?
Your council landlord is responsible for most repairs to the structure and exterior of the property, as well as the installations for heating, hot water, electricity, gas and sanitation. This includes the roof, walls, windows, drains and gutters. You are usually responsible for minor maintenance such as changing light bulbs, internal decoration and looking after your garden, unless your tenancy agreement says otherwise.
How do I escalate a council repair complaint?
First, exhaust your council's internal complaints process: ask for a formal Stage 1 complaint, and escalate to Stage 2 if you are not satisfied. If the council does not respond within a reasonable time or the issue is still unresolved, you can bring your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. The service is free and you do not need a solicitor. You can also involve your local council's environmental health team for serious hazards.
Sources
- Housing Ombudsman Service — for complaints guidance and determinations
- GOV.UK — for council housing repairs and tenant rights
- Legislation.gov.uk — for underlying housing and tenancy legislation
- GOV.UK — Council housing repairs
This page is an information resource and does not constitute legal advice. If you need support with a repair complaint, free advice is available from Citizens Advice and Shelter.