As a private tenant, you have the legal right to live in a property that is safe and in a good state of repair. All repairs must be reported to your landlord or letting agent in the first instance before contacting the council.
You can visit Shelter (external link) or GOV.UK (external link) for further information on the rights and responsibilities of private renting and how to deal with landlords and letting agents.
Please note, we do not provide reports to support applications for re-housing, claims for compensation or advice on rental agreements, contracts, deposits or harassment and we do not deal with issues related to overgrown or untidy gardens.
Damp, Mould and Condensation
If you are concerned about damp and mould, then you can report this to your landlord as you would with any other disrepair.
How do we handle your report?
Upon completion of our webform. We may contact you for further information such as pictures of the disrepair or copies of correspondence proving issues have been reported. To progress your case, we will:
- Send a letter to your landlord/Managing Agent informing them that we're aware of the repairs and to request they arrange for them to be rectified. We also ask for the landlord to keep us informed of the progress and upon completion of the repairs
- Send you a letter to inform you that we've made contact with your landlord, and we'll ask that you also keep us informed of the progress.
- If your landlord does not respond to us or carry out the repairs, we may contact you to arrange a full inspection under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
- Post inspection, we will inform your landlord of any identified hazards and give them a timescale to address them. Please note that this is dependent on the findings of any proposed property inspection.
- If the hazards identified are deemed not to be detrimental to health and safety, then your landlord will be informed what they are and be informally asked to address them
- Where there is a significant level of disrepair noted, we may take formal enforcement action against your landlord.
Please note: not all housing standards cases are dealt with individually. Depending on the specific circumstances of the case, different approaches may be taken to address any issues. Your case will be assigned to a qualified housing standards officer who will be able to provide you with guidance and support. They will be able to assess your case and determine the appropriate course of action if necessary.
Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
The HHSRS is a risk assessment which is used by the local authority to identify housing related hazards that could affect the health and safety of any occupier or visitor to a property.
There are 29 different hazards that are assessed including damp and mould growth, excess cold, fire safety, and electrical safety.
Harassment or Illegal eviction
If you believe you are subject to landlord harassment or an illegal eviction, please contact our specialist for some much-needed advice and support.
How do I report a repair issue?
As part of the Landlord and Tenant Act, tenants of rented properties have to complain in writing to their landlord / letting agent of any disrepair within their rented property.
Our role is ensuring the landlord/letting agent carries out necessary major repairs to your property (which affect your health and safety). It does not extend to resolving minor issues.
Please note: We will NOT be able to intervene in ANY disrepair cases unless you have complained to your landlord / letting agent in writing first.
Step 1 - Tell your landlord or letting agent in writing
Wigan Council have produced a template letter which we ask you complete and send to your landlord. This letter explains what is wrong and asks them to give you a timescale for the repairs. We recommend that you:
You must keep a record of any contact you've had with your landlord about the repair problem. This includes
- Dates of any visits to your home from your landlord/letting agent
- Dates and times of any phone calls made to your landlord/letting agent, and what was said
Collect evidence about the issue, such as photographs, receipts, reports or bills from professionals who have looked at the problem, or a note from a doctor if the problem is affecting your health
If after the 14 days your landlord/letting agent hasn’t responded or won’t do the repairs, then you can report the issue to Wigan Council.
Step 2 - Tell Wigan Council (privately rented properties only)
Please note this is for privately rented residential properties only. This does NOT apply to business properties.
Before reporting a repair issue that has not been dealt with, you must ensure you have completed step 1 above and can provide us with the necessary evidence/information. We will not be able to deal with your report if step 1 has not been fully completed.
Please be aware that our role is limited to ensuring the landlord/letting agent carries out necessary major repairs to your property. It does not extend to resolving minor issues - see tenant responsibilities.
Please note: the Housing Standards Enforcement Policy is currently being updated. If you receive correspondence in relation to a Housing Act offence, the policy enclosed within the documentation you receive is the most up to date version. The updated version will be published online as soon as possible. If you require clarity on anything enclosed within the documentation then please contact the team on the number or email supplied within the letter.