How to Claim Housing Disrepair Against Your Council
The steps to force the repairs and claim compensation when your council landlord won’t act.
Short answer
Report the disrepair to your council in writing and keep the evidence. Give them a reasonable time, then use the complaints process. If it is still not fixed, a specialist solicitor can claim compensation and force the repairs on a No Win, No Fee basis. The council cannot evict you for claiming.
The steps, in order
Report it to the council in writing
Tell your council landlord about the disrepair in writing (email or their repairs portal), so there is a dated record. A phone call is easy to deny later; writing is not. Keep a copy of everything you send.
Give them a reasonable time to fix it
The council has to carry out repairs within a reasonable time. Urgent hazards, such as no heating in winter or serious damp and mould, should be dealt with quickly. If the time passes and nothing happens, you move on.
Make a formal complaint
Use the council’s official complaints procedure and keep the reference. This creates a clear paper trail and is usually a step you need to have taken before escalating further.
Consider the Housing Ombudsman
If you have been through the council’s full complaints process and are still not satisfied, the Housing Ombudsman can investigate and order repairs and compensation. It is free and independent, and separate from a legal claim.
Start a disrepair claim
If the council has failed to put things right, a specialist solicitor can send a formal Letter of Claim under the Pre-Action Protocol, arrange an independent survey, and pursue compensation and the repairs on a No Win, No Fee basis. This is where we come in: we check your eligibility for free and connect you with a solicitor from our panel.
Keep this evidence
Good evidence is what wins a claim and speeds it up. From the first problem, hold on to:
- Dated photographs of the disrepair and any damaged belongings
- Copies of every report, email and repair reference
- A note of dates you reported it and any missed or failed appointments
- Anything showing the effect on your health or your family’s health
Common questions
Can I make a disrepair claim against my council?
Yes. Your council is your landlord, with the same legal duties as any other. If you reported disrepair and the council failed to fix it within a reasonable time, you can claim compensation and force the repairs, on a No Win, No Fee basis.
Do I have to complain before I claim?
It helps a great deal to report the problem in writing and use the council’s complaints process first, as it builds the evidence. But if urgent repairs are being ignored, you do not have to wait indefinitely. A free eligibility check will tell you where you stand.
Can the council evict me for claiming?
No. It is illegal for a council to evict you simply for requesting repairs or making a legitimate disrepair claim. This is known as a revenge eviction and you are protected by law.
Does this work for housing association tenants too?
Yes. Housing associations are social landlords with the same repairing duties as councils, so the same steps apply if you rent from a housing association.
What will it cost me?
Nothing upfront. The eligibility check is free and claims run on a No Win, No Fee basis, so you pay nothing unless the claim succeeds. Keep paying your rent throughout; never withhold it, as that can risk your tenancy.
Last reviewed: October 2026. General information, not legal advice. UK Housing Claims is a free service, not a law firm. See also council house disrepair claims and who can help with damp and mould.
Council ignoring the repairs?
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