Repairs: what the tenant pays, what the landlord pays

Big stuff is the landlord's. Small stuff is yours.

The answer in 2 lines. In England, the law (section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985) makes your landlord responsible for the structure and outside of the home, and for heating, hot water, gas and electrical installations, sinks, baths, toilets, pipes and drains. You handle small everyday jobs such as light bulbs and fuses, look after the home, and pay for damage you or your guests cause. Report any repair to your landlord in writing, with photos. If nothing happens, contact your council.

The first 3 steps

Work out where the problem comes from: damage or lack of care (often the tenant) or wear, age or a fault in the home (the landlord).
Tell your landlord or agent in writing (email or text is fine), with photos and the date. Keep a copy.
No response within a reasonable time: write again, then contact your council's private housing team.

Who does what

Landlord: roof, walls, windows, external doors, gutters and drains; boilers, radiators and hot water; gas pipes and appliances the landlord supplied; electrical wiring and sockets; sinks, baths, toilets and pipework.
Tenant: light bulbs, fuses and smoke alarm batteries (if the tenancy says so); unblocking a sink or toilet you blocked; small, everyday upkeep; damage caused by you, your family or guests.
Your tenancy agreement can give you small extra tasks, but it cannot pass the landlord's section 11 repairs on to you.

When you don't pay

Fair wear and tear: normal ageing from ordinary use.
Faults in the building: damp coming from the structure, leaking roofs, old wiring.
Things that wear out, like an old boiler or tap mechanism.
Keep evidence: photos, dates and your check-in inventory.

What not to do

Doing major work without your landlord's written agreement: you may be asked to put things back at your cost.
Ignoring a small leak or a worn seal: you may be blamed for the damage that follows. Report it.
Withholding rent to force repairs: it can put your home at risk. Get advice first.

If your landlord won't do the repairs

Your council can inspect your home under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System and order the landlord to fix serious hazards, such as damp and mould, broken heating or dangerous wiring.
Your home must be fit to live in (Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018). You can take the landlord to court if it is not.
Shelter and Citizens Advice can help you for free.

Good to know

Your landlord must let you live in the home undisturbed: outside emergencies, visits need at least 24 hours' written notice.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own repair rules (in Scotland, the Repairing Standard).

In Leeds, Sophie has rented the same flat for twelve years. A tap is dripping and the boiler keeps failing. She changes the light bulb in the hall herself, but emails her landlord about the boiler and the tap, which are his responsibility. Two weeks later, with no reply, she contacts the council's private housing team.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Useful contacts (England)

Shelter: free housing advice online and by phone, for renters in England.
Citizens Advice: free, independent advice on renting, repairs and deposits.
Your local council (private housing or environmental health team): can inspect a rented home and order a landlord to fix serious hazards.
101 police non-emergency · 999 if anyone is in danger.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 18 October 2026, for England. Confidence: high for the split of repairs under section 11 the council's powers and the 24 hours' notice for visits (Shelter, Citizens Advice); medium for detailed cases, which depend on your tenancy agreement and on what caused the damage. This guide describes common cases, not a diagnosis or legal advice.