Repair request letter, and a follow-up if nothing happens
Two letters for tenants in England: a first repair request with the date, photos and how the problem affects you, and a follow-up when a deadline has passed. With the free route to the council if the landlord does not act.
England. Checked against the law on 27 September 2026. Information, not legal advice.
When to use this
Use the first letter as soon as you notice a problem the landlord must fix: the structure and outside of the home, water, gas, electricity, heating and hot water, basins, baths and toilets, or a hazard such as damp and mould. Use the second letter if you have had no reply or the work has not been done. A report only counts if you can show when you made it, so put it in writing.
Before you send it
- Write the date you first noticed the problem and the date of the letter.
- Attach dated photos or a short video.
- Say how it affects you and anyone living with you, in plain words.
- Offer times when someone can come in to inspect. You must give reasonable access.
- Send it by email or through your LevelMoves portal, so there is a dated record. Keep a copy of everything.
- If there is a danger to health or safety now, phone as well and then confirm in writing. If you smell gas, call the gas emergency number first.
The template
Letter 1: repair request
[Your name]
[Address of the rented home]
[Date]
To: [landlord's or agent's name]
Dear [name],
I am writing to report a repair needed at the address above.
The problem: [what is wrong, and where in the home]
I first noticed it on: [date]
How it affects us: [for example no heating, a room we cannot use, a risk of injury]
I attach [number] photos taken on [date].
Please tell me in writing when someone will inspect and when the work will be done. Someone can be at home at these times: [days and times].
You can reach me on [phone or email].
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
Letter 2: follow-up
[Your name]
[Address of the rented home]
[Date]
To: [landlord's or agent's name]
Dear [name],
I reported a repair at the address above on [date of first letter]. A copy is attached.
Since then: [no reply / an inspection on: date, but no work / work started but not finished]
The problem is now: [the same / worse, and how]
Please confirm in writing, by [date], when the work will be done.
If I do not hear from you, I will ask the council's private sector housing team to inspect.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
What happens next
Awaab's law sets time limits for dealing with hazards. It started in social housing and is being extended to private tenancies hazard by hazard. Where it applies: an emergency is made safe within 24 hours; damp and mould is investigated within 10 working days, the findings are given in writing within 3 working days of that, and works start within 5 working days of the findings. Until a hazard is brought in, the landlord has a reasonable time.
If the deadline passes, the free route is the council's private sector housing team, which can inspect and order the works. Keep paying your rent in full throughout: stopping payment puts your tenancy at risk. Shelter and Citizens Advice give free help, and Shelter publishes its own free letters. The repairs guide has more.
Information about the law in England, not legal advice. Checked on the date shown.
Where this comes from
Questions about this template
Does a text message count as reporting a repair?
Any dated written report helps, but an email or a message in your portal is easier to keep and to show later. Include photos and keep the reply.
What if the landlord does not answer my follow-up?
Contact the private sector housing team at your council. They can inspect the home and order the works. Keep your letters and photos to show them.
Do I have to let the landlord in to inspect?
You must give reasonable access for inspection and works. The landlord should give you notice and agree a sensible time.
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