Contacting environmental health

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland

If conditions in your home are bad, they could put your health at risk or cause a serious nuisance to neighbours or the public. In situations like these, the environmental health or housing department of your local council may be able to help. They can sometimes force landlords to do repairs.

What should I do first?

Firstly, you need to think carefully about whether to take action. In particular, consider whether your landlord is likely to try to evict you rather than do the work. Unfortunately, most private tenants have limited protection of eviction.

If you live in a house in multiple occupation you should be able to report any problem to the council's environmental health department in confidence - they do not have to say who contacted them.

Secondly, you should report any problems to your landlord in writing, and allow a reasonable time for them to be fixed. (We’ve produced a sample letter telling your landlord about the repairs that you can adapt.) The time needed will depend on the urgency of the problem.

If the landlord does nothing, you could send a second letter, asking your landlord to contact you within 48 hours, or you will have to take further action. (We’ve produced a sample letter asking the landlord about repairs that haven't been done yet that you can adapt.)

If there is still no response, write to your landlord to tell them you will be reporting the matter to the council's environmental health department (some councils call this the private sector housing team) if the repairs are not done by a certain deadline. (We’ve produced a sample letter telling the landlord you'll be contacting the council that you can adapt.)

What problems can environmental health help with?

Environmental health departments have a duty to inspect a property if they are told that it is harmful to health. This usually includes properties affected by:

dampness, condensation, and mould growth
rats, cockroaches and other infestations
broken glass, falling plaster, dangerous or decaying stairs
faulty or dangerous gas or electrical installations
blocked drains or problems with rubbish or sewage
unacceptable noise levels
damaged asbestos
smoke fumes or gases.

The council must also inspect a property if they have been told that it is causing a nuisance to neighbours or the public. Problems in the property are likely to be a nuisance if they either:

pose a risk to the public – eg if roof tiles are falling off into the street, or
affect other people in their homes – eg if a toilet leaks into the flat below.

How do I get them to help?

Contact your local environmental health department and ask them to carry out an inspection. Find their details in the phone book or on your council's website. An environmental health officer should then carry out an inspection. If your landlord won't let them in, they can get a warrant. You won't have to pay anything for an inspection, and your complaint can be kept confidential if you wish.

The officer will assess the property to work out whether the problems are likely to be harmful to your health or to cause a nuisance to others. It is not simply a case of agreeing that repairs are needed. If they think that this is the case, the environmental health department must take action.

What will they do about the problem?

The environmental health department will only take further action if they agree that the problems are harmful to health or cause a nuisance to others.

In most cases, they will give your landlord an abatement notice. This is a legal document ordering your landlord to put the problem right and setting a time limit by which any works must be completed. If your landlord still doesn't do the work, the environmental health department can:

do the repairs themselves and charge your landlord for the work, or
take your landlord to court – the court can order your landlord to do the work and/or fine them up to £5,000.

In some cases, the environmental health department may send your landlord an informal notice first, warning that further action will be taken if they don't get the repairs done within a certain amount of time.

In emergency cases, they can warn the landlord that they will do the work themselves if they are not started within nine days, or if the landlord does not serve a counter notice within 7 days saying they intend to do the necessary work. If the council does the work, they will then charge your landlord for the costs.

What if the council won’t help?

If you are not happy with the way the environmental health department has handled your case, you can make a complaint. You should use the local authority's internal complaints procedure first, and if you’re not satisfied, you can then complain further to the Local Government Ombudsman. If there is an urgent problem you may need to take court action against your landlord yourself.

It may also be possible to take court action against the council. However, this can be quite complicated and you will probably need help from a solicitor or other specialist adviser. Use this Legal Adviser Finder to find one near you.

Where can I get more information and advice?

If your health is being affected by the condition of your home and you need help, contact an adviser at a Shelter advice centre, Citizens Advice, or another local advice service. Use our directory to find services in your area.