Some guidance to consider and steps to take if your accommodation is in disrepair.
Under the 1985 Landlord and Tenant Act, the landlord is responsible for:
- The structure and exterior of the property, heating and hot water systems, basins, sinks and other sanitary installations.
- Gas and electrical appliances
- Fire safety of furniture and furnishings provided
- Repairing and keeping in good working order the water heating system
The landlord only legally becomes responsible once they have been notified of the repairs in writing (this can be via post or email). If you have not already, please inform your landlord/ letting agency of the issues at your property and allow them reasonable time to address the issue.
You can read more about this issue, and what an appropriate time scale for repairs might be, on our Disrepair and Poor Housing Conditions webpage. This page also contains a Guide to Housing Repairs for you to read over.
If you are in a dispute with your landlord over repairs, we strongly recommend you contact the Student’s Union Advice team through the Ask Us form for further information.