Tenant rights: repairs, entry and harassment

When you rent in the UK, you have clear legal rights when it comes to repairs, privacy in your own home, and protection from harassment. Understanding these rights helps you know what to expect from your landlord, when to escalate a problem, and where to get help if things go wrong.

What your landlord must fix

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord has a legal duty to keep most rental properties in good repair. This applies to the majority of tenancies lasting less than seven years, and these obligations cannot be removed from your contract, even if your tenancy agreement says otherwise.

Your landlord is responsible for maintaining the structure and exterior of the property. This includes the roof, gutters, walls, windows, external doors, foundations, drains, and external pipes. They must also keep in repair and proper working order all installations for water supply, gas, electricity, sanitation including basins, sinks, baths, and toilets, as well as heating systems and hot water. Gas appliances must be serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 strengthened these protections by requiring landlords to ensure their properties remain safe and fit to live in throughout the tenancy. Your home must be free from serious hazards that could affect your health or safety, including damp, mould, electrical faults, and structural problems.

How quickly should repairs be done?

UK law requires landlords to carry out repairs within a reasonable time after being notified of the problem, but there is no single legal timeframe that covers all repairs. What counts as reasonable depends on the urgency and severity of the issue.

• Emergency repairs should be addressed within 24 hours. These include gas leaks, severe water leaks, total loss of heating or hot water, dangerous electrical faults, or broken locks that leave the property insecure. If your landlord cannot make the property safe within 24 hours, they must offer you temporary accommodation.
• Urgent repairs should typically be dealt with within 3 to 7 days. This includes heating system failures in winter, broken windows or doors that compromise security, and significant leaks that are causing damage.
• Routine or non-urgent repairs should usually be completed within 14 to 28 days. Examples include dripping taps, minor plumbing issues, worn fittings, or cosmetic repairs.

Awaab's Law, which came into force in 2024 for social housing, sets specific timeframes for hazards such as damp and mould. Social landlords must investigate reported hazards within 14 days, repair hazards presenting a significant health or safety risk within 7 days, and complete emergency repairs within 24 hours. The government has proposed extending these standards to private landlords under the Renters' Rights Act.

Your right to quiet enjoyment and notice before entry

All tenancies in England and Wales include a legal right to quiet enjoyment. This is not about noise levels but about your right to live in your home peacefully without unreasonable interference from your landlord or their agents. Your landlord cannot simply turn up whenever they like, even though they own the property.

The 24-hour notice rule

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord must give you at least 24 hours' written notice before entering the property to carry out repairs or inspections. The visit must take place at a reasonable time of day and you must give your consent for them to enter. Even with 24 hours' notice, your landlord cannot force their way in without your permission, except in a genuine emergency.

A genuine emergency is something like a gas leak, fire, flood, or burst pipe where there is an immediate danger to life or serious risk of major property damage. In these rare situations, your landlord may enter without notice to prevent harm. In all other cases, including urgent but non-emergency repairs, the 24-hour notice rule applies.

Notice should be in writing, either by letter, email, or text message, and must clearly state the date, time, and reason for the visit. If your landlord or their contractors repeatedly enter without proper notice, this may constitute harassment and you have the right to take action.

Harassment and illegal eviction

Landlord harassment is any deliberate action aimed at disturbing your ability to live peacefully in your home or forcing you to leave. Harassment is a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and can take many forms.

Examples of harassment include entering your home without proper notice or permission, threatening or intimidating behaviour, cutting off essential services such as gas, electricity, or water, refusing to carry out necessary repairs to make your life uncomfortable, changing the locks or removing your belongings, aggressive or excessive contact about rent or other issues, and making false allegations to evict you. It is also illegal for your landlord to evict you without following the correct legal process through the courts.

If your landlord is harassing you or trying to force you out illegally, it is essential to keep a detailed written record. Note the date, time, and details of every incident, save all text messages, emails, voice messages, and letters, and take photographs if relevant, such as of damage to your belongings or evidence of service disconnections.

Where to get help

If your landlord is not meeting their repair obligations, ignoring your right to quiet enjoyment, or harassing you, there are several organisations and authorities that can help.

Shelter

Shelter is the UK's leading housing and homelessness charity. Their website provides detailed, up-to-date advice on all aspects of renting, including repairs, harassment, eviction, and your legal rights. Shelter England offers a free helpline and webchat service for emergency advice, and you can access hundreds of guides tailored to your situation at england.shelter.org.uk. Shelter also has dedicated teams for Wales and Scotland, as housing law differs across the UK.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice is a national network offering free, confidential, and independent advice. Their advisers can help you understand your tenancy rights, draft letters to your landlord, and guide you through next steps if you need to escalate a complaint. You can visit your local Citizens Advice bureau in person, contact them by phone, or use their online advice pages at citizensadvice.org.uk. The website includes template letters for common situations such as requesting repairs or reporting harassment.

Your local council

Your local council has a legal duty to investigate reports of serious disrepair, health and safety hazards, harassment, and illegal eviction. The council's environmental health team can inspect your property and use enforcement powers to require your landlord to carry out repairs if they find hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. If the property is unfit to live in, the council can issue an improvement notice or even a prohibition order.

The council can also take action against landlords who harass tenants or attempt illegal evictions. Officers can warn landlords, gather evidence, and in serious cases, prosecute them under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. You can find your local council's housing department contact details on the gov.uk website by entering your postcode.

When you contact the council, bring copies of your tenancy agreement, photographs of disrepair or hazards, records of all communication with your landlord, and a written timeline of events. The more evidence you can provide, the easier it is for the council to act on your behalf.

Taking legal action

If informal complaints and council intervention do not resolve the problem, you may be able to take your landlord to court. You can apply for an injunction to stop harassment or claim compensation for losses caused by disrepair or harassment. The county court uses Form N1 for claims. You may be able to get help with legal costs if you are on a low income. Seek advice from a solicitor, Shelter, or Citizens Advice before starting court action, as the process can be complex.

Remember, you do not have to accept unsafe conditions, intrusive visits, or threatening behaviour. Your rights as a tenant are backed by law, and there are organisations ready to support you if you need to enforce them.