What to Record After a Landlord Repair

A contractor has visited, the work has been carried out and the repair has been marked as complete. It can feel like that is the end of the story.

But what happens afterwards can be useful information about your home too.

Keeping a simple record of what was done, what changed and whether the original problem stayed resolved can help you build a clearer history of your home. It can also make things much easier to explain if the same issue returns later.

You do not need technical knowledge. The aim is simply to record what you know and what you observe.

Why keep a record after a repair?

Most people understandably focus on keeping records while they are waiting for something to be fixed. Once somebody has attended, it is easy to assume there is nothing more to record.

The outcome matters too.

A repair visit tells you that somebody attended, but it does not necessarily tell you exactly what work was carried out, whether the original problem was resolved or whether the same issue returned a few weeks or months later.

Recording the outcome helps complete that picture. Over time, those individual repair records can also become part of a much more useful history of your home.

The Housing Ombudsman also expects social landlords to maintain accessible records of appointments, inspection reports, work orders and completion dates. Your own record does not replace the landlord's records, but it can help you keep track of what you experienced and what happened next.

What should you record after a repair?

A simple post-repair record can include:

the date the contractor attended
the repair reference or job number, if you have one
what problem the visit related to
what work you were told had been carried out
any parts or areas that were repaired or replaced
photographs of the area after the work, where useful
whether the original problem appears to be resolved
whether another visit, trade, part or inspection is still needed
any appointment messages, job sheets or completion notices
anything that changes or returns afterwards

You do not need every item for every repair. Record what is relevant and what you can reasonably observe.

Start with what happened

The simplest place to start is the date of the repair and what happened during the visit.

If you know what work was carried out, make a short note of it. You do not need to know technical names or try to diagnose the problem yourself. Record what the contractor told you and what you could see.

For example, you might note that a leaking pipe was repaired, a window was adjusted or damaged plaster was removed. If the contractor inspected the problem but said another visit was needed, that is useful to record too.

If you receive a job sheet, appointment message or completion notice, keep it with the repair record.

If you already made a record when you reported the repair to your landlord, add the completed work to the same history rather than starting again.

Take a photo after the work where it is useful

If the repair involved something visible, a photograph can provide a simple record of how the area looked once the work was completed.

You may already have photographs showing the problem beforehand. Taking another from roughly the same position can give you a useful before and after record.

This does not need to become a detailed inspection. You are simply recording the condition you can see.

Our guide to what evidence to keep for housing repairs explains the wider information that can be useful while a repair problem is ongoing.

Has the original problem actually stopped?

This is one of the most useful things to notice after a repair.

If you originally reported a leak, has the leak stopped? If a window would not close properly, does it now close? If a radiator was not heating, is it working normally again?

You are not being asked to judge the technical quality of the repair. You are recording the outcome from your perspective as the person living in the home.

Sometimes you will know immediately. Other problems need time or particular conditions before you can tell. A problem involving rainwater, for example, may only become clear the next time there is heavy rain.

In that situation, simply record that the work was carried out and update the record when you know more. There is no need to guess whether the underlying cause has been fixed.

Record what happened, then record what happens next.

Was there more work to be done?

A contractor visiting does not always mean the repair is finished.

They might tell you that another trade needs to attend, a part has to be ordered, further investigation is needed or another appointment will be arranged.

If that happens, make a note of what you were told and keep any new appointment details or repair references. This helps distinguish a completed repair from a visit that was only one stage of the work.

It is also worth keeping useful emails, text messages and completion updates together with the repair reference. You do not need to save every message. Keep the information that helps explain what happened and what was supposed to happen next.

What if the problem is still there?

If the original problem remains after the visit, record that clearly.

Note what you are still experiencing and take a photograph if there is something useful to show. Then contact your landlord or housing provider again and refer to the previous repair date or reference where possible.

Instead of starting again with a completely new report, you can explain that a contractor attended, what work was carried out and what is still happening.

That gives the people dealing with the repair much clearer context.

If you are still waiting for outstanding work or a response, read how long a landlord has to fix a repair for guidance on following up and explaining changes in urgency.

What if the problem comes back later?

This is where a post-repair record can become particularly useful.

Imagine a bedroom window was repaired in October and appeared to be working normally afterwards. A few weeks later, the same problem started again.

If you recorded the original report and repair, you now know when the problem happened, when somebody attended, what was done and roughly how long the repair appeared to work.

That does not prove why the problem returned, and residents should not be expected to diagnose building defects themselves. It does, however, create a clearer picture for you and for the people responsible for assessing or repairing the issue.

If the same problem does return, our article When a Repair Keeps Coming Back: Why It's Worth Keeping a Record explains why that history can matter.

A completed repair is part of your home's history

Homes change over time. Repairs, improvements, inspections and recurring problems are all events in the life of a property.

Your landlord or housing provider will have its own records, but you experience what happens in your home between individual appointments and repairs.

Keeping your own simple record means useful information does not disappear just because a job has been marked complete.

This is part of the idea behind Know Your Home. As we explain in Why What You Know About Your Home Matters, the things residents notice over time can add useful context to the wider picture of a property.

You do not need a complicated filing system. After a repair, the most useful things to remember are the date, what problem was being repaired, what work was carried out, any useful photographs, whether the problem appears resolved and anything that happens afterwards.

That creates a simple journey:

Report → record → repair → review → update your home history.

If you use House Krowd, keep your home and repair record updated when work is completed and add anything you notice afterwards. Clear, structured information can help create better context for both residents and housing providers if the issue needs to be looked at again.

Frequently asked questions

Should I take photos after my landlord completes a repair?

If the repair involved something visible, an after photograph can be useful. It gives you a record of the condition after the work and can be compared with earlier photographs if the issue returns.

What should I do if a repair has been marked complete but the problem is still there?

Record what remains and contact your landlord or housing provider again. Include the previous repair date and reference if you have them so the continuing problem can be connected to the earlier work.

What if a contractor attended but did not actually carry out the repair?

Record the visit and what happened. If you were told another appointment, part or contractor is required, keep that information too. If the problem remains outstanding, update your landlord or housing provider.

Why does the history of a repair matter?

A repair history can help show how a problem developed, what work took place and what happened afterwards. If an issue returns, that history provides useful context instead of treating each report as an entirely separate event.

Sources and further reading

Important: This guide provides general information for residents in England. Repair responsibilities and processes can depend on your tenancy, landlord and circumstances. If a repair creates an immediate safety risk, use your landlord's emergency repair process rather than waiting to build a record.

What Should You Record After a Repair Has Been Completed?