Letter templates for housing problems

This page has links to many of our most used letter templates.

Ask for council help if you're homeless

• Make a homeless application

• Show you have a priority need

• Get homeless help if you cannot afford your rent

You can use these letters if the council does not help at all or ignores the first letter.

• Tell the council they must look into your situation

• Tell the council they must help because of domestic abuse

• Tell the council they are wrong about your immigration status

Challenge a council homeless decision

• Ask for a review of a homeless decision

• Ask for a suitability review of temporary or longer term housing

Get repairs done in a private tenancy

• Ask for repairs or safety checks in a private tenancy

• Complain to environmental health about private rented housing

• Tell your landlord you will deduct money from rent if you pay for repairs - this a 5 step process. It does not protect you from a section 21 notice.

Report damp or repairs in a social tenancy

• Ask a council or housing association landlord for repairs

• Report damp to a council or housing association landlord

• Follow up repairs request if your landlord does not respond

• Tell the landlord if repairs have not fixed the problem

Take court action for repairs

• Negotiate before starting court action

Deal with harassment and pressure to leave

• Set out your tenancy rights if you're facing pressure to leave

• What to say if your landlord turns up without permission

• What to say if your landlord threatens you with illegal eviction

• Letter for the police if they side with the landlord at an illegal eviction

Get your tenancy deposit back

• Ask your landlord to give your deposit back

• Dispute unfair deductions from your deposit

• Get your deposit back through the small claims court

• Claim compensation if your deposit was not protected

Challenge a rent increase

• Tell your landlord they cannot increase your rent during a fixed term tenancy

• Tell your landlord you do not want to sign a contract at a higher rent

Negotiate a rent reduction

• Ask for a rent reduction due to repairs

• Ask for a short term rent reduction

Raise other problems during your tenancy

• Ask for cleaning if you move into a dirty flat

• Ask the agent for your landlord's name and address

• Ask about energy and water charges if your landlord pays the bill

End your tenancy

• Give notice to end a periodic or rolling tenancy

• Claim the right to unwind your tenancy because of misleading information

Find a private tenancy

• Write to landlords and agents about your renting history

• Ask to view a property if you've been refused because you get benefits

• Ask to view a property if you've been refused because you have children

Complain about discrimination

• Make a formal complaint about 'DSS discrimination' from an agent

• Make a formal complaint about 'no kids' policies

Deal with benefit problems

• Ask the DWP to delay repayments for a universal credit advance

• Ask the council to backdate your housing benefit