Your Rights as a Tenant: Getting Repairs Done Properly

## Understanding landlord responsibilities In the UK and Ireland, landlords have a legal obligation to maintain rental properties in a safe and habitable condition. This includes keeping the structure and exterior of the property in good repair, ensuring heating, water, and sanitation systems work properly, and maintaining gas and electrical safety. ## How to report repairs effectively The key to getting repairs done quickly is to report them clearly and with evidence. When reporting an issue to your landlord or property manager, include a clear description of the problem, photographs showing the issue, the date you first noticed it, and whether the issue is urgent or routine. ## What constitutes an emergency repair? Emergency repairs are issues that pose an immediate risk to health, safety, or the property itself. These include gas leaks, burst pipes or serious water leaks, complete loss of heating in winter, broken external doors or windows that cannot be secured, and total loss of electricity. Your landlord should respond to emergency repairs within 24 hours. ## Keeping a record One of the most important things you can do as a tenant is keep a written record of every repair request. This includes the date you reported it, what you reported, any responses from your landlord, and the dates of any repair work carried out. A tool like Defectly creates this record automatically. When you report a defect, it is logged with a timestamp, your description, photos, and a unique reference number. Every subsequent update is recorded too. ## What if your landlord does not respond? If your landlord fails to carry out necessary repairs within a reasonable timeframe, you have options. You can contact your local council's environmental health team, seek advice from Citizens Advice, or in some cases, apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). Having a clear, documented record of your repair requests strengthens your position significantly. ## Using Defectly as a tenant Defectly gives tenants a structured way to report property issues. Instead of sending a text message that might get lost, you submit a proper defect report with photos and a description. Your landlord is notified immediately, and you can track the status of every issue you have reported.