The short answer. For a boiler failure, government guidance says a technician within 24 hours may be reasonable. That's the visit. The law sets no fixed day for the repair to be finished.
In a private tenancy in England, a landlord must do repairs within a reasonable time of knowing about the problem. The circumstances decide what's reasonable.
Social housing in England is different, because Awaab's Law sets fixed deadlines there.
Last checked 10 November 2026See the sources
What to do when a repair isn't done, and why not to stop paying rent.
If a repair isn't doneHow Lettie sorts tenant reports by urgency, at any hour.
Maintenance triageOn this page
What the law says on repair times
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 makes you keep the structure and outside of the home in repair, along with the water, gas, electricity, sanitation, heating and hot water.
The clock starts when you know about the problem. The Act names no deadline. Government guidance puts it as a reasonable period that "will depend on the circumstances".
The home must also be fit to live in. If it isn't, the tenant can take you to court, which can order the repair and compensation.
To check the home's condition, you, or someone you authorise in writing, can enter at a reasonable time of day after giving the occupier 24 hours' written notice (section 11(6)).
The deadlines that are fixed
- Electrical work found on an EICR
- Within 28 days, or sooner if the report says. See landlord certificates.
- A faulty smoke or CO alarm
- Repair or replace it once the tenant tells you.
- Social housing in England
- Emergency hazards made safe within 24 hours, and damp and mould investigated within 10 working days.
From 30 November 2026, the social-housing deadlines cover more hazards, after Parliament approved the regulations in October 2026. Private landlords aren't covered yet. Our Awaab's Law guide has the full timescales.
How long for a boiler, a leak or no hot water
No heating needs faster action in freezing weather or for a vulnerable household, so ask who lives there. A competent person should assess faults that involve gas, electrical danger or checks the tenant can't safely do.
A boiler that's lost pressure can sometimes be topped up by the tenant, so ask about pressure before you book. Follow the boiler's instructions, and stop if the check can't be done safely.
No hot water still needs a prompt look. How urgent it is depends on whether there's heating, another way to wash, and who lives there.
The table below is an example of overnight triage, not a repair deadline. It's how Lettie sorts a tenant's message at night.
| Problem | Can it wait until the office opens? | Try this first |
|---|---|---|
| Smell of gas, or a carbon monoxide alarm sounding | No. Leave and call 0800 111 999 now | Get into fresh air and don't go back in |
| No heating | Not for someone vulnerable or in freezing weather. Otherwise often yes, with a heater | Check the boiler pressure against its manual, often 1 to 1.5 bar |
| No hot water | Often yes, if there's heating and another way to wash | Check the boiler pressure and any error code |
| Leak damaging the home | No | Turn off the water at the stopcock if it's safe to reach |
| Water near electrics | No | Keep away. If the fuse box is dry and safe to reach, switch off the main switch |
| The whole home without power | No, unless it's a power cut | Check the neighbours. A power cut is the network's job, so call 105 |
| A home that can't be locked | No | Check nothing catches in the frame. On a uPVC door, lift the handle fully before turning the key |
| The only toilet blocked | No | Stop flushing, and try a plunger |
| Damp or mould with no active drip | Usually yes, but faster if someone sleeps in the room or a child, a pregnant person or anyone with a breathing condition is affected | Photos of the patch |
| A window that won't shut | Usually yes, unless the home can't be kept secure or dry | Check nothing catches in the frame. Photos of the whole window and the part that fails |
Based on how Lettie triages tenant reports. It's a practical guide, not legal advice. Phone numbers from council safety guidance.
If a repair isn't done
- First
- Remind the landlord in writing.
- Then the council
- Its environmental health team can inspect, assess the home for hazards and take action.
- Or the court
- A tenant can go to court for repairs and compensation.
Tenants shouldn't stop paying rent while they wait. Government guidance warns that it can put them at risk of eviction (Private renting: repairs).
For free advice on your own repair, see Shelter's repairs advice.
Set your own response times, and tell tenants
"Reasonable" is easier to show if you've written down what you do. Tell tenants which problems you treat as urgent and how fast you'll respond.
gov.uk says the landlord "should tell you when you can expect the repairs to be done". Then keep a note of when each report came in and when someone attended.
A starting point to adapt for your tenancy pack, using the table's categories:
- Straight away, day or night
- A smell of gas, water near electrics, a leak damaging the home, a home that can't be locked, the only toilet blocked.
- Within 24 hours
- No heating, or no hot water with no other way to wash. Sooner in freezing weather or for a vulnerable household.
- Within [your number] working days
- Damp or mould with no active drip, a window that won't shut, other repairs.
These are your service targets. They don't replace the duty to act within a reasonable time for the circumstances.