Unfit Housing
Reporting Repairs
When a repair needs doing, tell the landlord/letting agent in
writing as soon as possible. In an emergency, telephone your
landlord immediately. You have to give the landlord/letting agent a
reasonable time to do the repairs. If the repair is not done within
a reasonable time, even after reminding the landlord/letting agent,
you may wish to report the repair to the Council. Under no
circumstances are you advised to stop paying the rent.
Enforcement Powers of the Local Authority
Your local authority has legal powers to ensure your
landlord/letting agent tackle any problems with the condition of
your home. Council officers will, where necessary, take statutory
action to ensure that landlords meet acceptable standards (as
outlined below under "Housing Standards").
You and Your Landlords Rights
You are entitled to "quiet enjoyment" of the property you are
renting. This means that your landlord/letting agent has to let you
use the property peacefully and must allow you to exercise all of
your legal rights.
Your landlord/letting agent must, by law, give you their name,
address and telephone number so that you can report repairs or
other problems to them.
Your landlord may have a spare set of keys to your property
but does not have the right to enter at any time. The only time
your landlord has a right of access is to check for any necessary
repairs and to do this they need to give you at least 24 hours
notice in writing, stating the time of the intended visit. However,
this could be less in the case of an emergency.
If you pay your rent weekly you are legally entitled to a rent
book or similar document. This does not apply to monthly payments
but you should ask for a receipt for the rent paid.
For further information about you and your landlords rights,
including security of tenure, possession proceedings, homelessness,
harassment and illegal eviction, contact your local CItizens
Adivice Bureau.
HOUSING STANDARDS
Area Home Improvement Officers deal with accommodation
standards in the private rented sector within in the district of
Peterborough, to ensure that they meet legal requirements. We also
give advice to tenants, letting agents and landlords as well as
other interested parties.
Our areas of work include:
Unfitness and Disrepair
We can take action to remedy houses which are overcrowded,
unfit for human habitation, in serious disrepair or where services
such as gas or electricity have been, or are about to be
disconnected. However, you should always attempt to resolve the
matter with your landlord/letting agent first.
Your landlord is legally responsible for repairs to the
structure of the building, which includes the roof, windows, doors,
drains, gutters, baths, sinks, toilets, heating, hot water, damp
and general building repairs.
If the Council identifies a property as being unfit for human
habitation, the council must then determine the most satisfactory
course of action to be taken with the property. There are several
options available to the council including the service of:
Repair Notice
A repair notice would specify the works required to remedy the
particular conditions to which the notice relates. The notice would
also specify the date by which the works must be commenced together
with the timescale during which the works must be completed.
Works could include improvements such as the installation of a
damp proof course, as well as repairs, e.g. re-plastering walls
which were affected by dampness.
Closing Order
A Closing Order is an order prohibiting the use of the
premises for any purpose not approved by the council. The council
issues this type of order to prevent the premises being lived
in.
Demolition Order
As the name suggests these orders are issued where demolition
of the premises is the most satisfactory course of action.
Clearance Area
An area consisting of houses which are predominantly unfit for
human habitation so all the properties in the area are to
be demolished. There is a very detailed procedure to go through
which includes consulting those people who will be affected by the
decision.
Housing Fitness
Standards
A dwelling is considered to be unfit if it fails to meet one
of the following requirements of Section 604 of the Housing Act
1985 (as amended) and as a result is not suitable for
occupation:
(a) it is structurally stable
(b) it is free from serious disrepair
(c) it is free from dampness prejudicial to the health of the
occupants (if any)
(d) it has adequate provision for lighting, heating and
ventilation
(e) it has adequate piped supply of wholesome water
(f) there are satisfactory facilities in the dwelling house
for the preparation and cooking of food, including a sink with a
satisfactory supply of hot and cold water
(g) it has a suitably located water closet for the exclusive
use of the occupants (if any)
(h) it has, for the exclusive use of the occupants (if any), a
suitably located fixed bath or shower and wash hand basin each of
which is provided with a satisfactory supply of
hot and cold water and
(i) it has an effective system for the drainage of foul, waste
and surface water.
GENERAL HOUSING COMPLAINTS
We will investigate general housing complaints, all of which
may or may not lead to unfitness for human habitation. We will give
advice and let you know whether we are able to follow this up with
formal or informal action and keep you informed of the progress and
outcome.
Typical housing complaints may include the following:
(a) faulty windows
(b) mould and condensation problems
(c) lack of proper heating and ventilation
(d) filthy and verminous properties
(e) drainage
(f) nuisance odours
(g) neighbour properties causing statutory nuisance
(h) disrepair including dangerous gas and electrics
Our Service Response Policy
We will contact you within:
- Same day for dangerous electrical wiring, dangerous gas supplies and any nuisance odour from a property
- 1 day for drainage complaints, disconnection of gas/electric supplies and filthy/verminous properties
- 3 days for disrepair complaints
- 4 days for neighbour complaints
- 5 days for overcrowding
Private Housing Enforcement Policy
Housing Repair Works in Default
For more information contact the Private Sector Housing Team
