Private rented housing complaints

Renting a property from a private landlord

Your landlord or their agent has legal responsibilities to manage your tenancy fairly and to keep your home in a good state of repair.

As a private tenant you also have rights and responsibilities.

Report a repair to your landlord

If you have a problem with disrepair in your home you must contact your landlord first and ask for the work to be carried out. Make sure you report the problem in writing to your landlord and keep copies of all of your correspondence. There is advice about how to do this on the Shelter website.

After putting your complaint in writing to your landlord wait for 2 weeks. If you have not heard back from your landlord send a further letter, text or email and request that action is taken within 48 hours. If you still get no response you can make a complaint to the Council.

Collect evidence of the disrepair such as

• Photographs
• Copies of any letters sent to or received from the landlord
• Receipts from any professionals who have looked at the problem
• A note from a doctor if the problem is affecting someone’s health.

These can be uploaded when you complete the on-line form and will assist us in dealing with your complaint.

Emergency Repairs

If the issue is serious and there is an immediate danger or a serious threat to health and you have not had an immediate response from your landlord then you should contact the council using the online form.

Contact us

Complete the online form to report disrepair in your property.

Email psr@newcastle.gov.uk