Home surveys

We carry out a survey of every council home at least once every 5 years. This is called a home survey.

The survey helps us:

  • keep your home safe and in good condition
  • plan future repairs and improvements
  • monitor how energy efficient your home is

We use this data to:

To help with this, we have our own team, and we are also using Rapleys LLP to carry out extra surveys starting in summer 2025. 

If you live in a PFI area then your inspection will be carried out by Yorkshire Housing for Swarcliffe, and Equans for Little London, Beeston Hill and Holbeck.

We’ll contact you when your home is due for a survey. Please make sure we can access your home. Without access, we may not be able to plan any necessary work.

Quick summary

What Home survey
Who it's for All council tenants in Leeds will receive a full home survey
All leaseholders will receive a full doors and windows survey
Why we do it To check your home is safe, decent, and energy efficient
When it happens Once every 5 years
What you need to do Let us access your home at the arranged time, or tell us if you would like a more suitable appointment
How long it takes Around 30 minutes

Before the survey

You will receive:

  • a letter from us confirming when we’ll be in your area
  • details of who will carry out the survey. This will either be our team or Rapleys LLP, a trusted company working on our behalf. If you live in a PFI home, Equans or Yorkshire Housing will carry out the survey
  • contact details to ask any questions 

You need to:

  • be at home and allow access during your appointment time. You don’t need to prepare your home, but make sure the surveyor can safely access each room
  • only let in a surveyor who shows an official ID badge for the organisation carrying out the survey
  • contact us to rearrange if the time doesn't work
  • let us know if you need extra support or adjustments

What to expect:

  • surveys are done Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4pm
  • the visit takes around 30 minutes
  • this is not a repair appointment. If something needs fixing, you can report a repair online, or call 0800 188 4000

Extra support

We can make reasonable adjustments to help you with your survey. For example, if you:

  • need an appointment at a different time
  • have trouble opening the door or moving around
  • need the letter in a different language or format
  • want someone to help you during the visit 

Contact us and we’ll do our best to help:

During the survey

The surveyor will:

  • show their ID badge before entering your home
  • check the age and condition of key areas like your kitchen, bathroom, and roof
  • look in every room and possibly in the roof space
  • note any serious safety issues using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)

The surveyor will not:

  • carry out repairs
  • confirm upgrades during the visit. This is decided after all the data is reviewed
  • be able to comment on existing repair issues

After the survey 

What happens next:

  • you will not get personal results from the survey
  • we’ll only contact you if any repairs or improvements are needed
  • if any hazards are found, our repairs team will follow up with you
  • you may be invited to give feedback in a short satisfaction survey

If you’re not satisfied:

If you’re unhappy about the survey or something did not go as expected:

Additional information

Home surveys

Home surveys are a visual inspection of the inside and outside of your home. They also check how old and what condition the main parts of the house are in, like the kitchen, bathroom, windows, doors, roof, and gutters. For leaseholders, we will only be checking the doors and windows.

We are carrying out these surveys to get an accurate picture of the condition of all council homes. It won't automatically mean that we will carry out work to your home in the immediate future. It will help make sure any information we hold about your home is up to date.

Survey date and time

We would encourage you to book a date and time for the survey that is suitable for you. You can do this by calling 0113 378 1530 or emailing homesurvey@leeds.gov.uk with your name, address and telephone number. If you’re not at home for the survey, our surveyor may look at your garden and surrounding areas and will leave a calling card with their contact details. If you don't get in touch, they may return on another day to try again or contact you directly.

Giving access to your home

The survey looks at the main parts inside and outside your home. As the inspection is only visual, you don't need to lift carpets or move furniture. The surveyor will need access to all rooms, including all external areas. They may ask you some questions to help clarify certain information.

Photographs taken during the survey

The surveyor will need to take some photographs of the main parts of your home as part of the inspection. These photos will be for LCC’s internal use and record purposes only. It can be difficult to avoid taking photos of personal belongings. If you have belongings that you do not wish to be photographed, please remove them before the survey, or tell the surveyor when they arrive. The surveyor is only interested in the condition of the main parts of your home, not how clean or tidy it is. We appreciate your cooperation.

Rent arrears

If you are in rent arrears, this will not prevent a full home survey from being carried out at your home. If you need help or support with rent arrears or paying bills, please contact your local housing office, who are here to help.

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