How Long Does a Landlord Have to Fix a Repair?

When something goes wrong in your rented home, one of the first questions you may have is: how long does my landlord have to fix it?

The answer depends on the problem, how serious it is, your circumstances and the type of landlord you rent from.

For many everyday repairs in England there is not one fixed legal deadline that applies to every problem. Repairs that a landlord is responsible for generally need to be dealt with within a reasonable time after the landlord knows about them. What counts as reasonable can be very different for a minor repair and a problem that creates an immediate risk to health or safety.

There are also specific statutory timescales for certain hazards in social housing under Awaab's Law.

This guide focuses on rented homes in England and provides general information rather than legal advice. The rules that apply can depend on your tenancy, landlord, the type of repair and the circumstances in your home.

Is there a legal time limit for landlords to complete repairs?

There is no single number of days that covers every landlord repair.

For many repair obligations, the key question is whether the landlord has dealt with the problem within a reasonable time after becoming aware that work is needed.

A reasonable time depends on the circumstances. A dangerous electrical fault, major leak or loss of essential services may need a much faster response than a minor non-urgent defect.

Your landlord may also publish its own repair categories and target timescales. These can help you understand the service standard it aims to provide, but statutory duties and safety requirements can apply separately.

When does the repair timescale start?

Reporting a repair promptly is important because landlords generally need to know that a problem exists before they can respond to it, although there can be circumstances where a landlord already has notice of an issue.

When you report a problem, keep a record of:

The date you reported it
How you reported it
The repair reference number
What you told the landlord
Photographs or videos showing the problem
Any appointment or expected repair date you were given

If you have not reported the problem yet, read our guide on how to report a repair to your landlord. For a fuller checklist, see what evidence to keep for housing repairs.

What counts as a reasonable time for a landlord repair?

There is no universal definition that turns every repair into a set number of days.

Factors that can affect what is reasonable include:

How serious the problem is
Whether it creates a health or safety risk
Whether essential services such as heating, hot water or electricity are affected
The effect on the people living in the home
Whether the problem is getting worse
What work is required to diagnose and repair it
Whether temporary action is needed to make the home safe while permanent work is arranged

This means two apparently similar repairs may need different responses depending on the circumstances in the home.

How quickly should emergency repairs be dealt with?

Problems involving an immediate risk to health or safety should be treated differently from routine repairs.

Examples could include a serious electrical danger, a major leak, an insecure external door or another problem that creates an immediate and significant risk. The exact classification depends on the circumstances.

For social housing in England, Awaab's Law requires emergency hazards to be investigated and made safe within 24 hours of the social landlord becoming aware of the hazard.

The 24-hour requirement is about making the home safe. Further work may still be required afterwards to prevent the hazard from returning.

If you believe there is an immediate danger, use your landlord's emergency repair process rather than waiting for a routine appointment.

What are the repair timescales under Awaab's Law?

Awaab's Law creates specific timescales for certain hazards in social rented homes in England.

Under the current Phase 1 requirements, social landlords must deal with all emergency hazards and significant damp and mould hazards within prescribed timescales.

For a potential significant damp or mould hazard, the landlord must investigate within 10 working days of becoming aware of it. If the investigation identifies a significant hazard, the home must be made safe within 5 working days after the investigation finishes.

For an emergency hazard, the investigation and work needed to make the property safe must be completed within 24 hours.

The landlord must normally provide a written summary within 3 working days after an investigation finishes. Where further work is needed to stop a significant or emergency hazard returning, the landlord must begin the work or take steps for it to begin within 5 working days after the investigation. If work cannot physically begin within that period, it must begin as soon as reasonably practicable and within 12 weeks at the latest.

If the property cannot be made safe within the required timeframe, the social landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation for the household at its expense until the home can be made safe.

Awaab's Law is expanding on 30 November 2026

From 30 November 2026, the significant-hazard requirements will extend to a wider range of hazards: excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosions, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene hazards.

Not every repair falls within Awaab's Law. The fixed deadlines apply when the relevant tests for a significant or emergency hazard are met.

Does a landlord have 28 days to complete every repair?

No. You should not assume that every landlord automatically has 28 days to fix a repair.

Different landlords may use their own target timescales for different categories of repair, and some legal requirements impose specific deadlines in particular circumstances. Other repair obligations are assessed according to what is reasonable.

The seriousness of the problem matters more than relying on one general number of days.

What if my landlord gives me a repair appointment weeks away?

Whether that is appropriate depends on the repair.

For a minor problem, a later appointment may be reasonable. For something that is affecting safety, health or an essential service, it may need to be assessed much sooner.

If you think the appointment does not reflect the seriousness of the problem, contact the landlord again. Explain what is happening now, whether the condition has changed and how it is affecting your household.

New photographs or videos can be useful if the problem has worsened since you first reported it.

What if the landlord misses the repair appointment?

Keep a record of the missed appointment and contact the landlord again.

Ask what happens next and when the repair will now be inspected or completed. If a contractor attended but could not complete the work, record what you were told about any follow-up work.

A missed appointment does not necessarily mean the underlying repair has been forgotten, but repeated delays are much easier to understand and challenge when there is a clear history of what happened.

What if a repair is completed but the problem comes back?

Report it again rather than assuming the previous repair record is enough.

Explain that the issue has returned and give the previous repair reference if you have it. Take new photographs or videos and record when the problem reappeared.

A recurring problem can sometimes indicate that the underlying cause has not been resolved. Our guide explains what to do when a housing repair keeps coming back.

What can I do if my landlord is taking too long?

Start by following up directly with your landlord and asking for an update.

Keep the communication factual. Refer to the date the repair was first reported, your repair reference, any appointments that have taken place and what remains unresolved.

If the problem is becoming more serious, tell the landlord. The urgency of a repair can change if the condition worsens or the impact on your household changes.

If the repair remains unresolved, the next step may include using your landlord's formal complaints procedure. Council and housing association residents may ultimately be able to take an unresolved complaint to the Housing Ombudsman after completing the relevant complaints process.

Private renters may have different options, including seeking assistance from their local council in some circumstances.

For advice about your individual legal rights, seek appropriate independent housing or legal advice.

Why keeping a repair timeline matters

When a repair takes longer than expected, it can become difficult to remember every call, appointment and update.

A simple timeline can show:

When the problem was first noticed
When it was reported
How the landlord responded
When inspections or contractor visits happened
What work was completed
Whether appointments were missed
Whether the condition changed or became worse
Whether the problem returned after repair work

This does more than create evidence. It creates context around the condition of the home and how it has changed over time.

If you are unsure whether the problem may amount to disrepair, our guide explains what housing disrepair means and common examples.

Frequently asked questions about landlord repair times

How long does a landlord have to fix a repair in the UK?

Housing law differs across the UK. In England, there is no single deadline covering every landlord repair. Many repairs must be dealt with within a reasonable time after the landlord knows about them, while specific rules can impose fixed timescales for certain hazards and circumstances.

How long does a landlord have to fix an emergency repair?

It depends on the tenancy and circumstances. For social housing in England, Awaab's Law requires emergency hazards to be investigated and made safe within 24 hours of the landlord becoming aware of the hazard.

How long does a housing association have to fix a repair?

There is no single timescale covering every housing association repair. The landlord may have published repair targets, while statutory duties can require different responses depending on the problem. Awaab's Law also imposes specific timescales for qualifying significant and emergency hazards in social housing in England.

How long does a council have to fix a repair?

Again, there is no universal number of days for every council repair. Check the council's published repair policy and consider the nature and urgency of the problem. Specific statutory timescales can apply to qualifying hazards.

Does the repair deadline change if the problem gets worse?

The landlord should be told if circumstances change. A problem that was initially routine may require a different response if it develops into a more serious health or safety concern.

What should I do if I have been waiting months for a repair?

Follow up in writing where possible, create a timeline of what has happened and use your landlord's complaints process if the issue remains unresolved. If you need advice about your individual rights or options, seek independent housing or legal advice.

A clear record helps show what happened

There may not be one deadline for every repair, but residents should not have to rely on memory when trying to understand how a repair has been handled.

House Krowd helps residents create a clearer record of property issues and what happens after they are reported.

The useful starting point is simple: report the problem, record when you reported it, keep your repair references and update the record if anything changes.