Are you affected by unsatisfactory living conditions and disrepair in your property? If so we can help, by advising you on how to get repairs done. We can talk to your landlord and if needed, we can take statutory action to force your landlord to do works.
If your property is rented from a registered social landlord (RSL) you should make contact with them in the first instance. View more information about local RSLs and their commitment to you by contacting your local housing association.
If you are a homeowner and are in receipt of benefits we may be able to help you if your boiler has broken down or is condemned, we can also offer you advice on reducing your fuel bills, email our Affordable Warmth Officer on energy.efficiency@telford.gov.uk.
If you wish to complain about outstanding repairs in the privately rented property which you live in, you should ensure that you have reported the issues to your landlord in the first instance. They may be more than happy to carry out any repairs work promptly.
For emergency matters, please telephone your landlord immediately and then inform Private Sector Housing of the problem.
After reporting the problems to your landlord/managing agent, please give them a reasonable amount of time to complete any necessary repair works before complaining to the Council. You must also ensure that you are up to date with your rent payments.
You must ensure that the unsatisfactory conditions you wish to complain about fall under the landlord's responsibility to repair, and that the conditions are not a result of your lifestyle or due to damage/neglect on your part. Download the housing standard general information document.
Your landlord should ensure that your property does not contain any deficiency that might give rise to a hazard which interferes with or puts at risk your health and safety.
Please note: that any involvement from Private Sector Housing is not intended to assist with any re-housing application that you may have. Instead, the purpose of the intervention is to ensure that the property which you are currently living in, is safe for you, your family and any visitors.
You should also ensure that you are available for your landlord and their contractors to visit the property and inspect the items of disrepair for themselves. If you repeatedly miss appointments, or refuse entry to your landlord and / or his contractors then you are unnecessarily delaying the repairs from being completed.
Please be aware that by making a formal complaint to Private Sector Housing:
- you will not have any legal protection against eviction as a result of making a complaint
- your landlord will have to be made aware of the complaint
- your landlord will be informed of any inspections carried out.
However, it is important that if you think that your property is not up to the acceptable standard for a privately rented property then you do report these problems to Private Sector Housing if repairs are not being undertaken.
Informing your landlord
If you are able to contact your landlord directly, please do this in the first instance. To assist you to report the defects, some template letters have been provided for you. Fill in the details, send a copy to your landlord/managing agent via email or hand deliver if possible and ensure that you keep a copy of the letter for yourself. Please ensure that your landlord has your up to date contact telephone number.
If, after 14 days from issuing this letter, you have not heard from your landlord, try to contact them by telephone to speak to them directly. If you are still not satisfied with the progress being made, then you should send a further letter to them.
Please note: the second letter gives the landlord a final 7 days to address the issues.
3. Contact us if still no action is taken
If you still consider that repairs to your property are still outstanding after sending letters 1 and 2, then please tell us about the disrepairs using our online form.
From Wednesday 11 May 2022, the Private Sector Housing team will commence a new way of submitting applications, or logging a complaint/enquiry.
As a result, all customers will be directed to a new portal, where you will be expected to register an account, and then submit your complaint or application.
Customers who telephone our Contact Centre will be re-directed to the new portal. Only in extreme cases will our advisors be on hand to offer assistance with the completion of any forms.
By registering with our portal, customers will be able to keep a track how their submissions are progressing and have the ability to message the relevant department directly.
Complete our online form to report a property disrepair
Last updated: 03/03/2023 14:03
Libraries on Facebook
Libraries on Twitter