Before you report a repair

Find out which repairs are your responsibility to fix and what you need to check before you report a repair.

Before reporting a repair, it’s important to gather the right details, check if you're responsible for the repair, and understand what to expect.

When you report a repair

We will ask for:

  • your name, address, and contact details
  • times you’ll be at home to allow access
  • details about the repair

Responsibility for repairs

Tenant responsibilities

As part of your tenancy agreement, you are responsible for small repairs like:

  • replacing lost keys or toilet seats
  • resetting trip switches and fuses
  • filling small holes and cracks
  • replacing light bulbs, plugs, or curtain rails
  • clearing vegetation, wiping condensation, tightening loose fittings
  • repairs caused by accidental damage or by household members or pets
Leeds City Council responsibilities

Legally and contractually, we must maintain and repair your home. We’re responsible for keeping the structure, the outside, and the essential services in good working order. This includes:

  • heating and hot water systems
  • bathroom and toilet fittings (council-installed)
  • internal plumbing, ventilation and electrics
  • windows, doors, and communal areas
  • safety equipment (smoke detectors, sprinklers)
  • building structure (walls, roof, stairs)
Check our full repair responsibilities list

Leeds City Council are responsible for the following repairs to your property:

  • the structure of the building, including the roof, floors, balconies, external walls and any chimneys
  • installations and equipment that has been installed inside the building for water, gas, electricity and drainage, but excluding meters and other equipment that are the responsibility of utility providers
  • heating and hot water installations
  • bathroom and toilet fittings including showers
  • ventilation systems and fans
  • repairs to corridors, stairways, entrance doors, windows and lighting in communal areas of buildings
  • communal equipment such as door entry systems, rubbish chutes and lifts
  • paths and steps to buildings, inside and out
  • windows and doors including the frames, locks, hardware and glazing
  • damaged plaster work
  • basins, sinks, baths and toilets (council fittings)
  • kitchen fixtures and fittings (council fittings)
  • tiling to walls and floors
  • smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms
  • sprinkler installations
  • decoration of external walls and internal communal areas of buildings (on planned programmes only)

If you are a leaseholder, find out more about repair responsibilities.

Damage caused by you

If accidental or deliberate damage occurs in your home, you may need to arrange and pay for the repair.

For urgent repairs, we may complete the work and charge you the costs.

Pre-inspections

We may carry out a pre-inspection before raising a repair if:

  • damp and mould is reported that could be a potential significant hazard
  • it's unclear who is responsible
  • the repair is complex or repeated
  • we suspect the damage was caused by the tenant, accidentally or deliberately

In some cases, we may ask for photos or videos so we can assess the issue remotely, this helps avoid unnecessary visits and speeds things up.

Pre-inspections: our standards

Issue Timescale
Urgent repairs, for example, following a fire or flood As soon as possible and within 24 hours
Damp and mould that could be a significant hazard Within 10 working days, in line with Awaab’s Law
All other pre-inspections Within 10 working days where possible
If we can't access your home We will attempt to contact you if nobody is at home when we visit. If we are still unable to arrange access, we will leave you a notice telling you how to rearrange.

If the visit is urgent, we will make further attempts to contact you to rearrange the visit.

If the visit is non-urgent, we will cancel the inspection, and you will need to contact us to rearrange.
Pre-inspection findings If we are investigating damp and mould that could be causing a potentially significant hazard, we will send you a copy of our findings within 3 working days of our investigation finishing.
Access notice We will always try to give you at least 24 hours’ notice if we need to access your home.

In an emergency, we have a legal right to gain access to your home without notice.

Extra support

We can help if you:

  • need the information in another language or format
  • have specific needs that will affect how we deliver our service
  • have access needs that will affect communication or letting us in
  • think your request was wrongly refused or mishandled

Call: 0800 188 4000

Email: housingenquiries@leeds.gov.uk

Submit a complaint online.

PFI and BITMO repairs

Find how to report a repair if you live in a PFI area or BITMO home.