What Are Emergency Repairs? A Tenant Guide To Urgent Housing Issues
Housing problems are stressful at the best of times. But some issues go beyond inconvenience and become serious safety concerns. These are classed as emergency housing issues and should be dealt with urgently by your landlord.
Knowing what counts as an emergency, how quickly your landlord should respond, and what to do if nothing happens can help you act quickly and protect yourself. This guide explains emergency housing issues in plain English, with examples, timelines and clear next steps for tenants in England.
What Is An Emergency Housing Issue?
An emergency housing issue is a problem that puts your health, safety or the security of your home at immediate risk, or where delaying repairs could cause serious damage to the property.
Housing charity Shelter explains that emergency repairs are issues that could cause serious harm if not fixed quickly. In practice, this usually means repairs that need to be addressed within 24 hours, or sooner if there is an immediate danger. You can read more about how Shelter defines emergency repairs on their page about repairs and housing conditions.
For social housing tenants, the government has made expectations clearer through Awaab’s Law. This requires landlords to investigate potential emergency hazards within 24 hours and take swift action to make the home safe. The government explains these duties in its Awaab’s Law guidance on GOV.UK.
If a problem feels dangerous or is getting worse quickly, it’s usually safer to treat it as an emergency and report it that way.
Common Examples Of Emergency Housing Issues
Not every repair is an emergency, but some problems are widely recognised as needing urgent action. Below are the most common examples tenants experience.
Gas Leaks Or Suspected Gas Problems
Gas issues are always emergencies. If you smell gas, hear hissing near a gas appliance, or think there may be a leak, you should call the national gas emergency service immediately and then inform your landlord.
Gas leaks can lead to explosions, fires or carbon monoxide poisoning, which is why they must never be ignored. Shelter explains landlords’ responsibilities and tenant safety in its guidance on gas safety and your landlord’s responsibilities.
Dangerous Electrical Faults
Electrical problems become emergencies when they pose a risk of injury or fire. This includes exposed or damaged wiring, sparking sockets, power cuts caused by unsafe electrics, or receiving electric shocks.
Faulty electrics can worsen quickly and should not be left until routine repairs. Shelter lists unsafe electrics as a serious hazard in its advice on electrical safety in rented homes.
Burst Pipes, Severe Leaks Or Flooding
A burst pipe or major leak can cause rapid damage to your home, affect neighbouring properties and create electrical hazards. Flooding may also make parts of your home unsafe to use.
These issues should be reported immediately as emergencies. Citizens Advice explains how serious water leaks should be handled and what tenants should do on its page about getting repairs done if you’re renting.
Total Loss Of Essential Services
Losing access to essential services such as water, gas or electricity can quickly become an emergency, especially if it leaves you without heating or hot water in cold weather or affects cooking and sanitation.
Whether this counts as an emergency can depend on the circumstances, but Shelter confirms that total loss of essential services is usually treated as urgent. This is explained further in its guidance on emergency repairs and loss of services.
Structural Damage Or Risk Of Collapse
Structural problems are emergencies because of the risk of serious injury. These include ceilings coming down, unstable floors, major cracks in walls, or roofs at risk of collapse.
If structural damage is ignored, it can worsen quickly. Councils may intervene under housing safety rules, which are explained in GOV.UK’s guidance on housing hazards.
Serious Security Issues
If your home cannot be properly secured, such as when an external door or ground-floor window is broken, this is considered an emergency repair.
An insecure property increases the risk of theft, damage and personal harm. Shelter includes security-related repairs in its guidance on repairs landlords must carry out.
Sewage Problems Or Blocked Drains
Problems involving sewage or sanitation are emergencies because they pose a serious health risk. This includes overflowing toilets, sewage backing up into sinks or baths, or blocked drains that affect hygiene.
Citizens Advice lists serious sanitation issues as urgent repairs on its page about problems with rented housing.
Severe Damp And Mould Affecting Health
Damp and mould can become an emergency when they pose a serious and immediate risk to health, particularly for children, older people, or anyone with asthma or respiratory conditions.
For social housing tenants, Awaab’s Law places strict duties on landlords to act quickly where damp and mould hazards are identified. This is set out in detail in the Awaab’s Law guidance on GOV.UK.
Shelter also explains when damp and mould should be treated as urgent in its advice on damp, mould and condensation.
What To Do If You Have An Emergency Housing Issue
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 straight away.
If it is safe to do so, take simple steps to reduce the risk, such as turning off the water during a major leak or isolating electricity if there is a serious electrical fault.
You should then report the issue to your landlord or managing agent as an emergency. Calling is often the fastest way to alert them, but always follow up in writing so there is a clear record. Citizens Advice explains how to report repairs properly and why evidence matters on its page about reporting repairs to your landlord.
What If Your Landlord Doesn’t Act?
If your landlord does not respond to an emergency repair, you can escalate the issue.
Your local council’s Environmental Health team can inspect the property and require the landlord to fix serious hazards. Citizens Advice explains how this works on its page about complaining to the council about housing conditions.
Before arranging repairs yourself or withholding rent, it’s important to get independent advice. Shelter provides step-by-step guidance on what to do if your landlord won’t do repairs.
Key Things For Tenants To Remember
If a problem puts your health, safety or home security at risk, it is likely to be an emergency.
Report issues as soon as possible and keep records of all communication, photos and repair requests.
Use trusted sources like Shelter, Citizens Advice and GOV.UK to understand your rights and take the right next steps.