Housing disrepair route: landlord → environmental health → court
Escalation route for tenants with unresolved disrepair in private or social rented housing in England.
When to use this route
You are a tenant in England with disrepair (damp, mould, leaks, structural defects, heating failure) that the landlord has failed to fix within a reasonable time of notice. Awaab's Law applies stricter timescales for prescribed hazards.
When NOT to use this route
If the disrepair is your own damage; if you are a licensee (not a tenant); if the property is in Wales, Scotland, or NI (different statutes).
Prerequisites
- • Active tenancy (assured, AST, or secure)
- • Written notice to the landlord of the disrepair
- • Reasonable time has elapsed since notice (or Awaab's Law statutory timescale)
Evidence to gather
- • Tenancy agreement
- • Written notice with date proof (email, recorded delivery, app message)
- • Dated photographs of the disrepair
- • Medical evidence of health impact (if any)
- • Repair log
Route map
- Stage 1
Written notice to landlord
Send a clear written notice listing every defect, with photographs and dates. Keep proof of receipt.
Landlord's duty to repair starts on notice (s.11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985) - Stage 2
Awaab's Law timescale check
If the hazard is prescribed under Awaab's Law (damp/mould initially, expanding), the landlord must investigate and remedy within statutory timescales. Failure is a breach actionable in the courts.
- Stage 3
Council environmental health
Complain to your local council's environmental health team — they can issue an improvement notice or hazard awareness notice under the Housing Act 2004 Part 1.
- Stage 4
Housing Ombudsman (social housing only)
If your landlord is a council, ALMO, or housing association, escalate to the Housing Ombudsman after exhausting their internal process.
- Stage 5
Pre-action protocol letter
For private landlords or unresolved social landlord cases, send a Letter of Claim under the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims.
Landlord has 20 working days to respond - Stage 6
County Court claim
Issue a claim for damages (distress and inconvenience) and a mandatory injunction for repairs. Joint expert evidence is typical.
Final remedies
- • Injunction (forcing the works)
- • Damages for distress and inconvenience (£1,000–£10,000 typical)
- • Repair-related costs
- • Rent abatement