Who You Can Complain to About Landlords

Under the terms of the tenancy agreement, landlords are legally bound to provide a good standard of accommodation. If they fail to honour this in any way then the tenant has every right to complain.

Upholding Landlord Standards

As a tenant you have every right to expect that certain standards are upheld by your rented accommodation and the landlord. These should be outlined in your tenancy agreement.

In summary, the landlord must ensure that your home is safe and in good repair. If you have kept to your side of the tenancy agreement then you are entitled to all your deposit back at the end of your lease. If the landlord withholds this then they must prove why they are doing so. If they harass you then they could be breaking the law. And finally they must follow the correct procedure if they ask you to leave the property.

If they fail to meet the standards outlined in the contract then you have both a right and a duty to complain.

First Discuss With Your Landlord

If your landlord is failing to uphold their terms then you should first discuss the matter with them directly, either in person or over the phone. They should be given the opportunity to sort out the problem before any official complaint procedures are followed. They may even not be aware there is a problem and prove willing and able to rectify the situation promptly.

You should give your landlord a reasonable time to put things right. How long it is reasonable will depend on the nature of the problem. If your drains are blocked then you would expect immediate action, but the handle has fallen off the kitchen door then it is fair to wait a couple of weeks at most.

If the landlord needs to access the property to carry out any repairs then you must give them reasonable access to the property, and in return they should give you 24 hours notice of their visit, and call at a sensible time.

Complaint Procedures

If this approach fails to achieve a satisfactory resolution – perhaps you feel they are ignoring you or not taking your problem seriously – you can take your problem to the next level by enquiring as to whether the landlord operates an official complaints procedure.

As mandatory members of the Independent Housing Ombudsman Scheme, all social landlords are required have a procedure in place for dealing with complaints. Copies should be able from their offices.

Private landlords are not obliged to operate such a procedure, although the larger ones typically do, as well as those that have chosen to be part of the Independent Housing Ombudsman Scheme or a landlord accreditation scheme.

If your rented accommodation is council owned then you should instead follow its own complaints procedure.

Ombudsman Support

If the final result of the respective complaints procedure proves unsatisfactory then you are entitled to raise the issue with the appropriate ombudsman scheme, which will investigate the complaint and offer its own assessment.

If your landlord is a member of the Independent Housing Ombudsman the complaint should be taken up with them. If your property is council owned and they have failed provide a satisfactory resolution then they are answerable to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Complaint Letter

If the landlord is not answerable to a complaints procedure you should instead send them a formal letter of complaint.

The letter should be addressed to the appropriate member of staff at the correct address, and be clearly identifiable as a complaint. The text should clearly define the problem and what you want the landlord to do to put things right.

Contact the Council

If such efforts prove futile and your landlord is still failing to honour the tenancy agreement then you should contact your local authority. Housing officers should offer advice on what to do, aid you if your situation has become difficult as a result of the dispute and also help you in pursuing the matter further. They have the power to take action - under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the local council is able to prosecute landlords.

Seeking Advice

Aside from your local authority’s Housing department, Tenancy Relations Office or Environmental Health Department, you could also seek advice from a Law Centre, Citizens Advice Bureau, Housing Advice Centre or a solicitor.

Such advisors will prove invaluable if your complaint is not resolved and no other option is left open other than to go to court in order to enforce your rights.