How to Get Your Council to Inspect Your Rental Property

You should contact your council's environmental health team if your rental property has problems that your landlord has refused to fix. Common issues include:

• Damp and mould that the landlord has not addressed
• No heating or hot water (or a broken boiler the landlord will not repair)
• Unsafe electrics (exposed wiring, faulty sockets, no smoke alarms)
• Structural problems (cracks in walls, unstable floors, leaking roof)
• Pest infestations the landlord will not treat
• Fire safety concerns (blocked fire exits, no fire doors in an HMO)
• Overcrowding or rooms below minimum size

Before contacting the council, you should have already reported the issue to your landlord in writing and given them reasonable time to act (typically 14 days for non-urgent issues, 24 hours for emergencies like no heating in winter).

Use our damp check tool to assess damp risk, and our report issue tool to generate a formal complaint letter to your landlord.

Contact your local council's environmental health or private rented sector team:

• Online: Most councils have a web form for reporting housing conditions. Search for "[your council name] report housing problem" or "environmental health complaint."
• Phone: Call the council's main number and ask for the environmental health or housing standards team.
• In person: Visit the council offices if you prefer.

When making your request:

• Describe each problem clearly and specifically
• Include photos and videos if possible
• Provide copies of correspondence with your landlord showing you reported the issue and they have not resolved it
• Give your contact details and confirm your availability for an inspection
• Ask for a reference number so you can track progress

Councils have a legal duty to investigate complaints about housing conditions under the Housing Act 2004. They cannot refuse to inspect if you report a legitimate concern.

Council inspectors assess properties using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which covers 29 categories of hazard including:

• Damp and mould growth
• Excess cold (no adequate heating)
• Falls on stairs and between levels
• Electrical hazards
• Fire safety
• Carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products
• Crowding and space
• Entry by intruders (security)
• Structural collapse and falling elements

Each hazard is scored based on the likelihood of harm and the severity of potential outcomes. Hazards are classified as:

• Category 1 hazards: Serious and immediate risk. The council must take enforcement action.
• Category 2 hazards: Less serious but still significant. The council may take action.

The inspection typically takes 1 to 2 hours. The inspector will examine the entire property, not just the issue you reported. They may find additional problems you were not aware of.

After the inspection, the council can take several actions depending on what they find:

• Improvement notice: Orders the landlord to carry out specific works within a set timeframe (typically 28 days to several months).
• Prohibition order: Bans the use of part or all of the property until hazards are resolved.
• Emergency remedial action: For serious and immediate risks, the council can carry out works themselves and charge the landlord.
• Hazard awareness notice: For less serious issues, informs the landlord of the hazard.

Importantly, once the council has served an improvement notice or taken emergency action, your landlord cannot evict you using the retaliatory eviction provisions. This protection is strengthened under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

If the landlord fails to comply with an improvement notice, the council can prosecute them (unlimited fine) or carry out the works and recover the cost. You may also be entitled to a rent repayment order of up to 12 months' rent if the landlord is prosecuted.