Complain to the Council About a Landlord

Quick answer

You can complain to the council about a private landlord in England if the issue involves unsafe housing, serious disrepair, damp and mould, fire risk, gas or electrical safety, HMO licensing, overcrowding, harassment, illegal eviction, certain illegal fees, rent in advance breaches, rental discrimination, or other private rented sector duties.

For non-urgent problems, usually report the issue to your landlord or letting agent first and give them a reasonable opportunity to respond. For urgent risk, harassment, illegal eviction, serious hazards or threats, contact the council quickly and call the police if there is immediate danger.

Who this guide is for

This guide is for private renters in England who need to complain to the council about a landlord, letting agent, property manager or person acting for the landlord. It also helps landlords and agents understand what a council may expect if a tenant reports a private rented housing problem.

It is most useful where the problem affects safety, habitability, legal process, licensing, discrimination, illegal eviction or council enforcement. It is less useful for small disagreements that are mainly about customer service, routine delay or deposit deductions unless those issues also involve a legal breach.

1. When this guide is likely to apply

• you rent from a private landlord in England;
• you have reported repairs but the landlord has not acted;
• your home may have hazards such as damp, mould, unsafe electrics, no heating, fire risk or structural problems;
• you are being harassed, pressured to leave, locked out or threatened;
• the property may need an HMO or selective licence;
• you are being charged a prohibited fee or unlawful upfront payment;
• you are being refused or treated worse because of benefits, children or another protected issue;
• you need a council record before court, tribunal, rent repayment order or homelessness help.

2. What this guide does not cover

Some problems need a different route, or more than one route at the same time. A council complaint may help, but it may not solve every housing dispute.

When to complain

1. Complain to the landlord first when safe

For ordinary repairs and non-urgent problems, start by reporting the issue to the landlord or agent in writing. Say what the problem is, when it started, what evidence you have, what you want done, and when you need a response.

Keep the first complaint simple. A council officer will often want to see that the landlord knew about the problem and had a reasonable opportunity to respond.

2. Contact the council sooner for urgent risk

You do not have to wait politely if the issue is dangerous, urgent or serious. Contact the council quickly if there is serious damp and mould, no heating or hot water, exposed wiring, unsafe gas appliances, fire risk, structural danger, serious overcrowding, illegal eviction risk or harassment.

If there is immediate danger, violence, threats or forced entry, contact the police as well as the council.

3. Use the council for housing hazards

Councils can assess rented housing conditions using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. This is a risk-based system for identifying hazards that may affect health and safety. Examples can include damp and mould, excess cold, fire risk, falls, electrical hazards, structural collapse, pests, overcrowding and poor sanitation.

The council may send an environmental health officer or housing enforcement officer to inspect, or it may first ask for photos, repair history and landlord contact details.

4. Use the council for harassment or illegal eviction

Harassment and illegal eviction can include changing locks, removing belongings, cutting off utilities, threatening behaviour, repeated unwanted visits, refusing access to the home, forcing entry, or trying to make the tenant leave without the correct process.

These cases should be treated as urgent. The council may have a tenancy relations officer or private sector housing officer who deals with harassment and illegal eviction. The police may also be needed if there is violence or immediate risk.

5. Use the council for HMO and licensing issues

If several unrelated people live in the property, it may be a house in multiple occupation. HMOs can have extra safety and licensing rules. Some councils also operate selective or additional licensing schemes for private rented homes.

Report concerns such as overcrowding, missing fire doors, no smoke alarms, unsafe shared areas, too many occupants, unlicensed HMOs or poor management of communal facilities.

6. Use the council for Renters’ Rights Act breaches

Councils have enforcement roles for several private renting duties. A complaint may be relevant where a landlord or agent appears to breach rules on harassment, illegal eviction, rent in advance, rental bidding, discrimination against renters with children or benefits, written information duties, or other landlord obligations.

Be precise. Say which rule you think has been breached, what happened, when it happened, and what evidence proves it.

7. Do not use the council for every disagreement

The council may not be the best route for every private renting dispute. Deposit deductions, minor service complaints, arguments about decoration, or compensation claims may need a deposit scheme, agent redress scheme, ombudsman route, court claim or legal advice.

Which council team to contact

Councils use different team names. If you cannot find the right form, contact the council switchboard or online housing page and ask for the team that handles private rented housing complaints.

1. Council team names to look for

2. Use the property council, not your current location

The correct council is usually the local authority where the rented property is located. If you moved away after leaving, still contact the council for the property address.

3. If the council sends you to the wrong team

Ask for the complaint to be forwarded to private sector housing, housing enforcement, environmental health or tenancy relations. Keep the reference number. If the issue is urgent, call again and clearly say the words “illegal eviction”, “harassment”, “unsafe housing” or “homelessness risk” if they apply.

Evidence to send

Good evidence makes a council complaint easier to triage. Send a short summary first, then attach or list the supporting proof. Do not send hundreds of files with no explanation.

1. Core evidence checklist

2. Write a short timeline

A timeline helps the council understand the case quickly. Use dates, not long paragraphs. Example: “12 March: reported leak by email. 18 March: landlord replied but no repair arranged. 4 April: ceiling collapsed. 5 April: sent photos. 8 April: no response.”

3. Explain what you want the council to do

Say whether you want an inspection, enforcement action, help to stop harassment, HMO licensing review, advice on illegal eviction, or a written record for another process. A clear request helps the case reach the right officer.

4. Do not exaggerate

Use accurate wording. If you are unsure whether something is unlawful eviction, say “possible unlawful eviction”. If you do not know whether the property is an HMO, say “possible HMO”. This makes the complaint more credible.

What the council can do

Council powers depend on the facts, evidence, risk level, local policy and the law that applies. The council may not take the exact action you want, but a well-prepared complaint can still create an important record.

1. Review and triage the complaint

The council may first assess urgency. Serious hazards, illegal eviction, harassment, vulnerable occupants, children, disability, no heating, fire risk or homelessness risk may be treated differently from non-urgent repairs.

2. Ask the landlord or agent for information

The council may contact the landlord or agent for a response, documents, licence details, repair plans, safety certificates or evidence of action.

3. Inspect the property

For housing condition complaints, the council may inspect the property. An officer may assess hazards, take photographs, ask questions and decide whether formal action is needed.

4. Use enforcement notices or orders

Depending on the problem, the council may use improvement notices, hazard awareness notices, emergency action, prohibition orders, licensing action or other enforcement tools.

5. Issue civil penalties or prosecute

For certain serious breaches, councils may issue financial penalties or prosecute. Harassment and illegal eviction can lead to prosecution or a civil penalty. Some Renters’ Rights Act breaches may also lead to financial penalties.

6. Support a rent repayment order route

Some landlord offences can support a rent repayment order application. The council may investigate, share information or take its own action, but tenants often need separate advice before applying.

7. Refer or signpost to another route

The council may tell you to use a deposit scheme, agent redress scheme, ombudsman, court, tribunal, police, homelessness team or legal advice. This does not always mean your complaint was wrong; it may mean another route has the power to give the remedy you want.

8. Keep a record even if no action is taken

Even if the council does not inspect or enforce, a complaint record can help show that you raised the issue. Keep reference numbers, officer names, emails and decisions.

Other complaint routes

A council complaint is only one route. The best route depends on the problem and the outcome you want.

1. Landlord or agent complaint

For non-urgent issues, complain to the landlord or managing agent first. Give a clear deadline and keep proof. This can show the council or another scheme that the landlord had a fair chance to resolve the problem.

2. Letting agent redress scheme

Letting agents and property managers usually have to belong to a redress scheme. Use this route for poor service, complaint handling, misleading information, agent behaviour or failure to follow a proper process.

3. Deposit protection scheme

Use the deposit scheme if the dispute is about deposit deductions, return of deposit or scheme adjudication. Use council or legal advice if the issue is missing protection, prohibited fees or wider landlord misconduct.

4. Court or tribunal

Court or tribunal routes may be needed for possession defence, injunctions, compensation, rent repayment orders, deposit penalties, unlawful eviction claims or rent challenges. Get advice before starting legal action.

5. Police

Contact the police for violence, threats, forced entry, criminal damage, immediate danger, stalking or where a landlord is trying to force you out. Also contact the council for illegal eviction and tenancy relations support.

6. Homelessness team

Contact the council homelessness team if you have nowhere to stay, have been locked out, are threatened with eviction, have received a possession notice, or cannot safely remain in the property.

7. Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

The Renters’ Rights Act introduces a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman. It is intended to provide independent complaint resolution for tenants’ complaints about private landlords. Check current availability before relying on this route.

8. When to use more than one route

Some cases need several routes at once. For example, a tenant with serious damp, a possession notice and children in the home might contact the landlord, council housing enforcement, homelessness prevention and a housing adviser.

Message templates

1. Complain to the landlord before contacting the council

2. Complain to the council about disrepair or hazards

3. Complain to the council about harassment or illegal eviction

4. Chase the council for an update

5. Practical examples

Sources used

This guide was prepared from official government guidance first, then checked against housing advice, ombudsman materials, parliamentary research and local authority enforcement examples. Because private renting law and council enforcement powers change, current GOV.UK, Shelter, Citizens Advice, Housing Ombudsman and legislation-based guidance are more reliable than older tenancy manuals or out-of-date books.