DocMuse is a private, paid service run by The Muse Technology EOOD (Bulgaria). It is not a UK government website and is not connected with GOV.UK, HM Courts & Tribunals Service or any other public body. It is not a law firm and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or any other legal regulator, so the Legal Ombudsman cannot consider complaints about it; its documents are not legal advice.
Report disrepair, damp or mould and ask your landlord for repairs (England)
England · in English · for tenants
€2.00Fill it in online free — pay only to download
12 questions · about 5 min
Made for use in England
Fill in the form
Your answers stay on this device for 7 days, or until you clear them.
- Instant download after payment
- Backup link emailed to you
- No account needed
For a private tenant in England whose home needs repairs — damp and mould, a broken boiler, leaks, faulty electrics. The letter reports each problem in writing, with dated photos, reminds the landlord of the duty to repair the structure, exterior and installations (section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985) and to keep the home fit for human habitation (section 9A), asks to arrange an inspection within 14 days, and confirms you will keep paying the rent. If nothing happens, the council can inspect, and the letter of claim under the housing conditions protocol is the next step.
- Made for use in England
- Last updated October 28, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Published byDocMuse
When to use this document
- Your rented home in England has damp and mould and the landlord has done nothing.
- The boiler has broken and your landlord or agent is not responding.
- There is a leak or faulty wiring in your flat and you want it reported in writing.
- You want a letter asking your landlord to fix the repairs without stopping your rent.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Tenant
- Tenant's address
- Town or city
- Tenant's postcode
- Date
- Landlord
- Landlord's address
- Landlord's postcode
- The repairs needed, room by room, and when each problem began
- Date you first told the landlord (optional)
- Effect on your health, belongings or use of the home (optional)
- When you can give access for an inspection or repairs (optional)
Common questions
- Can I withhold rent in England until my landlord does the repairs?
- It is risky. Unpaid rent is a ground for possession under section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 even if the home is in poor condition, and a court can order you to pay. Keep paying, report the problems in writing, and claim compensation afterwards. Shelter and Citizens Advice explain the narrow cases where a tenant may repair and deduct the cost, which need notice and quotes first.
- What can the council do if my landlord ignores repair requests in England?
- Your council’s private sector housing or environmental health team can inspect the home under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System and order the landlord to carry out works. Contacting them is free; many councils have an online form, and the complaint to the council in this catalogue sets out your case in writing with the history and photos.
- Does Awaab’s Law set repair deadlines for private landlords in England?
- Not yet. Its fixed timescales for damp, mould and other hazards apply to social housing; the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 allows them to be extended to private renting, but on 28 October 2026 no regulations had been made. Until then a private landlord must carry out repairs within a reasonable time after being told, which is why the written report matters.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
Related documents
- Letter of claim for housing disrepair under the pre-action protocol (England)
For a private tenant in England whose landlord has not carried out repairs after being told. It follows the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims (England): it lists the defects and when they were reported, the effect on your health and belongings, asks for the documents the protocol names and proposes a single joint expert. The landlord should reply within 20 working days of receiving it, saying whether liability is accepted and what works will be done when. If repairs and compensation are not agreed, the next step is a claim in the County Court.
- Ask your landlord to return your deposit (England and Wales)
For a tenant in England or a contract-holder in Wales who has moved out and is still waiting for the deposit. A letter before claim to the landlord or letting agent: it gives the date the tenancy ended, the deposit and the scheme protecting it, asks for the deposit back within 14 days or a written list of any deduction with evidence, and says which deductions you dispute. If you cannot agree, the next step is the scheme’s free dispute service, then the County Court. In England, if the deposit was never protected, use the letter before claim for an unprotected deposit instead.
- Complaint to the council about a rented home in poor condition (England)
For a private tenant in England whose landlord has not dealt with serious problems — damp and mould, no heating, dangerous electrics, vermin. The letter asks the council’s private sector housing or environmental health team to inspect the home under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004) and take action against the landlord. Many councils have a free online form, which you can use instead; this letter sets out the problems, the history of your reports and the photos in one place, by post or email.
- Ask your landlord for consent to sublet or take in a lodger (England)
For a private tenant in England who wants to take in a lodger, or sublet a room or the whole home. Most tenancy agreements require the landlord’s written consent first, and subletting without it can breach the tenancy and become a ground for possession. The letter says what you ask for, who would move in, where and for how long, confirms you stay responsible for the rent and will do the right to rent check, and asks for an answer within 14 days. Not for council or housing association tenants, for whom unlawful subletting can be a criminal offence.
- Letter before claim for an unprotected tenancy deposit (England)
For a tenant in England whose landlord did not protect the deposit in a government-authorised scheme, protected it late, or did not give the prescribed information within 30 days of receiving it. Under section 214 of the Housing Act 2004, the County Court must then order the landlord to pay between one and three times the deposit, as well as dealing with the deposit itself. The letter sets out the facts, asks for payment of the sum you propose within 14 days, and says you will otherwise make a claim in the County Court.
- Ask your landlord’s permission to keep a pet (England)
For a private tenant in England. Since 1 May 2026 a tenant may ask in writing to keep a pet, and the landlord must answer in writing within 28 days and must not refuse unreasonably (section 16A of the Housing Act 1988, added by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025). The letter describes the animal and how it will be cared for, offers references and asks for a written decision, with reasons if it is a refusal. If the landlord asks for more information, or for a superior landlord’s consent, the deadline can move to seven days after the reply. No pet fee or separate pet deposit may be charged.