How do I request a repair and what do I do if my landlord doesn’t respond?

Your landlord is usually responsible for carrying out major repairs to the property you’re renting. If you rent through a letting agent, this is who you should contact to request repairs. If the agent does not respond or pass the information to the landlord, you could contact your landlord directly. Many problems are resolved by speaking directly to landlord or letting agent.

If the landlord/letting agent hasn’t addressed the issue, write them a letter or an email. Tell them what the issue is and include evidence where possible. It’s important to keep a written record. If you need help with this, you can find your local Citizens Advice HERE.

If your letting agent doesn’t respond

Each letting agent should have an internal complaints process you can use. Check their website or ask their office. It is important to keep written records of your complaint. 

If there is still a problem, then you can take your complaint to one of the two Redress schemes below. These schemes can help you with lots of different problems with your letting agent.

The Property Ombudsman

The Property Redress Scheme

Your letting agent must be a member of one of these. Their website or the documents they gave you at the start of the tenancy should say which one they belong to. If you are unsure, ask your letting agent. 

If your landlord doesn’t respond

If your landlord doesn’t respond you should complain to your local council.  Most councils have a private rented housing team. Your local council can be found HERE.

TDS offers FREE mediation to help resolve problems during your tenancy, including disrepair issues. Find out more HERE.

About The Tenancy Deposit Scheme

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme is part of The Dispute Service (TDS), the largest tenancy deposit protection (by value) and resolution service provider in the UK making life easier for tens of thousands of agents, landlords, developers, and millions of tenants and homebuyers.

Our award-winning customer service is highly rated on both Trustpilot and Google, and we’re backed by the NRLA, Propertymark and RICS.

We provide quick and hassle-free online deposit protection, free guides and information in our online help centre, free dispute resolution and free mid-tenancy mediation for tenants and landlords.

Our free tenant lifecycle app, tlyfe, makes renting smarter. Manage your TDS deposit, get pre-qualified, build your credit ratings, and more.