Reporting Disrepair - Private Rented Accommodation

Housing Improvement Team (Private Sector)

What do we do?

We provide a service to all private sector housing residents who require assistance, advice or guidance on housing related problems such as:

• Drainage and misconnection issues
• Problems with pests within your home or garden
• Housing disrepair in privately rented accommodation that is in serious disrepair and can pose a risk e.g.
  • A leak
  • No heating in the winter months
  • Faulty electrics
• Filthy and verminous premises
• Advice on asbestos in private dwellings
• Inspection of properties which are Houses in Multiple Occupation
• Licensing of properties which are Houses in Multiple Occupation
• Entry Clearance Inspections on behalf of the British Embassy/consulates to ensure accommodation is fit for human habitation

What we don't do

We don't investigate problems relating to properties which are not occupied by private tenants.

We don’t deal with minor disrepair such as:

• Kitchen appliances not working
• Broken kitchen cupboards
• Dirty or worn carpets
• Poor internal decoration
• Cracked tiles
• We don't deal with disrepair to commercial premises
• We don't deal with environmental response issues such as fly tipping or dumped rubbish
• We don't respond to complaints about bonfires
• We don't deal with noise complaints
• We don’t deal with cosmetic issues such as decoration, carpets, faulty appliances
• We don’t deal with leaseholder/freeholder disputes
• We don’t deal with civil matters between home owners

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What happens when I log my request?

The service that you will receive from the team will depend on the nature of your enquiry. Not all enquiries will require formal investigations and many issues can be resolved informally. Priority is always given to those cases which pose the greatest risk to residents. It is important that you follow the guidance given in the following sections in order that you receive the appropriate level of service and/or meet legal requirements in relation to your complaint.

We can investigate complaints from private residents, owner occupiers or private tenants. Find out what to do if you are not an owner occupier or a private tenant.

I am a private resident and wish to make an enquiry or log a complaint

If you are a private resident and wish to log an enquiry or complain about one of the issues above then please contact the call centre on 020 8489 1000 and log your enquiry. It would be very helpful if you could have as much information relating to your complaint as possible to aid further investigations.

I am a private tenant and wish to make an enquiry or log a complaint

You are a private tenant if the accommodation you are living in is accommodation which you have sourced yourself from a landlord or letting agent. If you are experiencing any of the issues listed above at your property then you may be able to receive assistance from the Housing Improvement Team. You must ensure before logging your complaint that you have the following information or have undertaken the following:

• Reported the issue to your landlord or letting agent and have had no response

• You must have your landlord's or managing agent's contact details – your complaint will not be taken without this information

• If you are complaining of disrepair to your property you must have notified your landlord in writing first. See below for more information.

I am a private tenant and my property is in disrepair

Legislation introduced to protect tenants from being evicted should they complain to the council about their private rented accommodation has come into force. The legislation applies to all new tenancy given after 1 October 2015. In order to be protected by this legislation tenants must have done the following before complaining to the council:

• Put in writing to the landlord the issues at the property. These must be serious issues that pose a risk to you.

• Allow your landlord 14 days to reply to your letter. If they have not replied, or if the reply does not address your concerns or you are issued with a Section 21 eviction notice then you can log your complaint. Tenants will be asked to produce evidence of their complaint. If you have not yet written to your landlord then you can use the Letter to Landlord Template (Word, 23KB) provided as a guide.

I am not a private tenant

If you have been placed in your accommodation by Homes for Haringey, a Housing Association or Haringey’s Homelessness services you are not a private tenant. If you have any of the issues listed above with the property you live in then please see the accommodation types below and you can find out how to complain:

• Council tenants, please visit our Housing pages

• Temporary Housing tenants, please visit the Temporary or Emergency Accommodation Team page.

• If you are a Residential Social Landlord/Housing Association tenant, you should log your complaint with your own Housing Association. If you have done this and remain dissatisfied you should log your complaint with your Housing Association’s complaints team.

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Contact

Housing Improvement Team (Private Sector)
Level 6, Alexandra House
10 Station Road
Wood Green
N22 7TR

Tel 020 8489 1000
Fax 020 8489 5113
Email environmentalhealth.andhousinggroup@haringey.gov.uk

• Council tenants please visit the housing repairs pages to report a repair
• Landlords should see the landlords repairing your property page

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