The Right to Repair is a piece of legislation that was introduced in 1994. It means that landlords are responsible for doing small urgent repairs if they are likely to affect someone’s health, safety or security. It only includes repairs that cost less than £250.
If the contractor fails to complete the work on time, you may have the right to ask us to employ another contractor to do the work. In the first instance you should contact our Repairs Call Centre – 0800 028 2 028.
Arrangements may be made for another contractor to undertake the repair. The second contractor has the same amount of time to complete the work as the original contractor.
In the event that the second contractor also fails to complete the work on time you may be entitled to compensation under the Statutory Right to Repair Scheme. Only certain repairs qualify under this scheme, a full list is shown at the end of the section.
The compensation entitlement is £10, plus a further payment of £2 per day for every day that the repair remains outstanding, up to a maximum of £50 for any one job.
Lewisham Council is entitled to offset this compensation against any debt you may owe to the Council.
The Right to Repair only applies to ‘Qualifying’ Repairs. Individual repairs and prescribed timescales are set out by Right To Repair legislation. The period varies according to the type of repair. The repairs and time-scales are listed below.
Defect | Prescribed period (in working days) |
| Total loss of electric power | 1 |
| Partial loss of electric power | 3 |
| Unsafe power or lighting socket, or electrical fitting | 1 |
| Total loss of water supply | 1 |
| Partial loss of water supply | 3 |
| Total or partial loss of gas supply | 1 |
| Blocked flue to open fire or boiler | 1 |
| Total or partial loss of space or water heating between 31 October and 30 April | 1 |
| Total or partial loss of space or water heating between 1 May and 30 October | 3 |
| Blocked or leaking foul drain, soil stack, or (where there is no other working toilet in the dwelling-house) toilet pan | 1 |
| Toilet not flushing (where there is no other working toilet in the dwelling-house) | 1 |
| Blocked sink, bath or basin * | 3 |
| Tap which cannot be turned | 3 |
| Leaking from water or heating pipe, tank or cistern | 1 |
| Leaking roof | 7 |
| Insecure external window, door or lock | 1 |
| Loose or detached banister or hand rail | 3 |
| Rotten timber flooring or stair tread | 3 |
| Door entry phone not working | 7 |
| Mechanical extractor fan in internal kitchen or bathroom not working | 7 |
* Note, sink, bath or basin blockages are the tenants’ responsibility as outlined in the Tenancy Agreement