Report Disrepair to Landlord Letter: Free Template and What to Include

Landlords in England and Wales have a legal duty to keep rented properties in a reasonable state of repair — including the structure, exterior, and installations for heating, water and sanitation. A formal, written disrepair letter is the recommended first step: it starts the clock on your landlord's obligation to act, and creates the paper trail you'll need if they don't.

What counts as disrepair

In England, under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (section 11), your landlord is responsible for repairing the structure and exterior of the property, and keeping installations for supplying water, gas, electricity, heating and sanitation in working order; in Wales, similar duties come from the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (section 92). This covers issues like a broken boiler, leaking roof, damp caused by a structural problem, faulty wiring, or a non-functioning toilet. It generally doesn't cover damage you've caused yourself, or condensation caused purely by how the property is used day-to-day — though persistent damp and mould are increasingly treated seriously, especially where they affect health.

What the letter needs to cover

• Your details and the property address — and the date you're writing.
• A clear, specific description of the problem — what's wrong, where, and since when. Photos help enormously if you can attach them.
• The impact — if it's affecting your health, your ability to use part of the property, or causing damage to belongings, say so.
• Reference to your landlord's legal duty — briefly note this falls under their repairing obligations.
• What you want done, and by when — a specific, reasonable deadline for repairs to start.
• What happens if they don't act — that you may report the issue to the local council's environmental health team.

Your rights if your landlord doesn't act

If your landlord doesn't respond or carry out repairs within a reasonable time, you can report the disrepair to your local council's environmental health department, who have powers to inspect the property and require the landlord to carry out repairs under the Housing Act 2004. For serious health hazards, this can include formal enforcement action against the landlord.

It's important to keep paying rent as normal while this is ongoing — withholding rent without a formal legal process can itself put you at risk of action from your landlord, even where the disrepair is genuine.

If it doesn't get resolved

If the disrepair is serious and your landlord continues to ignore it, you may have grounds for a disrepair claim, which can result in the landlord being ordered to carry out repairs and potentially pay compensation for the period you lived with the problem. Keep a full record of your letters, any responses, photos, and dates throughout — this becomes your evidence if the matter needs to escalate. See our Housing Rights Guide for guidance specific to your situation.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Landlord or Letting Agent Name]
[Landlord or Letting Agent Address]
[Landlord or Letting Agent Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Landlord or Letting Agent Name],

Subject: Urgent repairs needed at [Your Address]

I am writing to formally report repairs needed at my home. As my landlord, you have a legal duty to keep the structure and exterior in repair, and to keep the installations for heating, hot water, gas, electricity and sanitation in working order.

[Choose the line for where you live:]
[England: This is your duty under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and the home must also be fit for human habitation under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.]
[Wales: This is your duty under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.]
[Scotland: This is your duty to meet the Repairing Standard under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.]
[Northern Ireland: This is your duty as my landlord under my tenancy and Northern Ireland's private tenancy law.]

The problems are:
• [e.g. Damp and black mould in the main bedroom]
• [e.g. A leaking pipe under the kitchen sink]
• [e.g. The boiler is broken, so there is no heating or hot water]

These problems are [affecting my health / the health of my family / causing serious inconvenience]. I have attached photographs taken on [date].

Please contact me within [e.g. 2] working days to arrange a date for a qualified contractor to inspect and carry out the work.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]