Are you a tenant?

If you need a repair to your rental property contact your landlord in writing and keep a record of this.  If the landlord refuses to carry out the work, please contact us. We have a number of powers to ensure that works are carried out to the minimum statutory housing standard.

If you are a Housing Association tenant you must, in the first instance, make a formal complaint to your housing association and exhaust their full complaints procedure. This gives them the chance to put things right.  If you are unhappy with their response you must then contact the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) who regulate Housing Associations.

The HOS looks at complaints about housing associations registered with them. They only have the power to investigate a complaint after you have taken it all the way through the landlord's own formal complaints procedure. This gives the landlord the chance to respond and try to put things right first. It is up to you to take your complaint through the landlord’s complaint procedure.

If you are living in privately rented accommodation the law protects you against harassment and illegal eviction. Both of these acts are criminal offences and victims are able to claim damages, through the civil court. Find out more about harassment and illegal eviction.

Within 30 days of receiving a deposit, landlords have to secure the deposit and provide tenants with the details of which scheme is protecting the tenancy deposit. Further information you should contact Shelter or the Citizen Advice Bureau.

The Housing Assistance Policy is designed to improve housing conditions within the private sector, assist people in remaining warm at home by reducing their energy costs and support independent living for those living in owner occupied, privately tented or homes owned by housing associations.

The policy covers the Housing Assistance Grant, which is a means tested grant for building work designed to assist people who may be financially poor and/or vulnerable stay safe within their home. It also covers Energy Support and Advice, which is available to all residents and can signpost residents to the help available, and the Disabled Facilities Grant, which is a means tested grant, available to fund building work to homes to assist people who may be elderly or disabled remain living independently at home.

• Housing Assistance Policy