Landlord Repairs: The Role of Environmental Health

Originally written by Abigail Taylor, updated by the editorial team on 21st May 2026

What Environmental Health Officers Do

Environmental Health Officers, often called EHOs, work within local councils to protect public health and safety. Their responsibilities cover a wide range of areas, from food hygiene in restaurants to air quality and waste disposal. Many businesses encounter them during routine inspections or licensing matters.

What some landlords and tenants may not realise is that EHOs also have significant powers when it comes to housing conditions. If a rented property has serious problems that affect the health or safety of occupants, the local council's Environmental Health team can step in and issue legal notices requiring the landlord to put things right.

For tenants who have tried and failed to get their landlord to carry out repairs, contacting Environmental Health can be an effective way forward. EHOs possess legal powers that extend beyond initial informal efforts. Through formal notices and enforcement action, they can compel landlords to act, and there are penalties for those who ignore these requirements.

This article focuses on the system in England. Wales and Scotland have their own housing health regulations, so tenants in those nations should check the rules that apply locally.

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How Properties Are Assessed

In England, Environmental Health Officers use a system called the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, or HHSRS, to assess residential properties. This framework helps them identify and evaluate hazards that could affect the health or safety of anyone living in or visiting the property.

The HHSRS does not set a simple pass or fail standard. Instead, it assesses the likelihood of a hazard causing harm and how serious that harm might be. Hazards are then placed into one of two categories. Category 1 hazards are the most serious, and councils are required to take appropriate action on these, which may involve a range of interventions depending on circumstances. Category 2 hazards are less severe, but councils still have the power to address them if they choose.

The types of problems that EHOs commonly assess include:

Damp and mould growth
Excess cold due to poor heating or insulation
Structural problems such as crumbling plaster, unstable floors or wood rot
Faulty, outdated or exposed electrical wiring
Pest infestations including rats, mice or insects
Fire safety risks such as blocked escape routes or missing smoke alarms
Falls hazards from uneven surfaces, steep stairs or missing handrails
Poor sanitation or inadequate washing facilities

An EHO will typically visit the property to carry out an inspection. They may take photographs, measurements and notes. In some cases they will request documentation from the landlord about gas safety certificates, electrical reports or building work that has been done.

The inspection report forms the basis for any enforcement action the council decides to take.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

What Action Can Environmental Health Take?

If a property fails to meet acceptable standards, EHOs have several enforcement options available to them. The action they take will depend on the severity of the hazard and whether the landlord cooperates.

Often, an EHO begins with informal communication, where they may write to the landlord to explain the problem and give them a reasonable timeframe to fix it. In many cases, landlords resolve issues upon receiving these informal notices, making formal action unnecessary.

If informal approaches do not work, or if the hazard is serious enough to warrant immediate action, EHOs can issue formal notices. A Hazard Awareness Notice may be used to officially inform a landlord about a problem, though it does not require them to take specific action. This approach is frequently employed for less critical hazards.

An Improvement Notice is more forceful. It sets out the work that must be done and gives a deadline for completion. Landlords who fail to comply with an improvement notice can face prosecution and significant fines.

In the most serious cases, a Prohibition Order can be issued. This may restrict or completely ban the use of part or all of a property until the hazards are removed. For properties that are beyond reasonable repair, councils can issue a Demolition Order.

Where there is an imminent risk to health or safety, councils have the power to carry out emergency remedial action themselves without waiting for the normal notice period. They can then seek to recover the costs from the landlord, although this process is not always straightforward.

Landlords have the right to appeal against enforcement notices and orders. Appeals are typically heard by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), which can confirm, vary or cancel the notice.

Some local authorities maintain a register of landlords who have been issued with certain types of enforcement notices, though this varies by council and is not a universal practice.

What to Do If You Need Help

If you are a tenant living with repair problems that your landlord will not address, you can contact your local council's Environmental Health department directly. You do not need to go through your landlord or get their permission. Most councils allow you to report housing problems online, by phone or in writing, and many now offer dedicated apps or digital portals for reporting issues.

Before making contact, it can be beneficial to document the issues as thoroughly as you can. Taking photographs, keeping a written record of when problems started, and saving copies of any correspondence you have sent to your landlord asking for repairs will help support your case.

Neighbours can also report concerns to Environmental Health if a property next door poses a risk to their health or safety. This might include issues like pest infestations spreading between properties or structural problems affecting adjoining walls.

Response times can vary significantly between councils. Budget pressures mean some Environmental Health teams have limited capacity, which may affect how quickly they can investigate complaints or take action.

If you feel the council has not taken your complaint seriously or has failed to act when it should have, you can make a formal complaint through the council's own complaints procedure. Should that not resolve matters, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman can investigate complaints about councils in England.

For detailed information about the HHSRS and housing standards, the GOV.UK website provides official guidance. Shelter and Citizens Advice also offer free help and advice on housing repair problems and tenant rights.

The Next Step

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58 questions

Ask Problem Neighbours a Question

arjun 28/09/2022 at 1:15 pm

Hi

We noticed a leak in our ceiling and promptly informed our insurance company and managing agent. We had a specilist come in who determined that the source was from a shared pipe. The leak is a brown water that is coming from a falty stack pipe.

Our agent is being very unhelpful about the situation and is leaving the burden on me when in fact the source of the leak isnt even accessible from my flat.

I read online that the EHO would help get this sorted asap as there may be an environmental health risk involved can anyone suggest how i should proceed?

Jade Allmond 06/07/2021 at 7:30 am

Hi been waiting for a roof repair since the 19th May half the ceiling is soaked and is now dripping onto the carpet. I am in the highest escalation of complaint and still nothing my daughter is 13 and living with me in my room plus I have asthma

Helen 27/02/2021 at 7:31 pm

The electrics have blown in the house I have 3 children and can’t cook them dinner because of the electrics

Helen 27/02/2021 at 7:29 pm

I need to speak to someone as soon as possible

Storm 03/10/2020 at 12:50 am

I have been helping Tennant's within my area for the past 4 months trying to sort out problems on there properties by helping them contact the landlord over and over again with the concerns such as mould on walls fire safety checks which have been done and he has been notified to fix problems such as double plug sockets by sink that has to run a extension lead off it to run a washing machine and a fridge freezer which he has been told need to be on there own sockets, after this not being done and also numerous amounts of jobs we've contacted environmental health who have said they will come and inspect the property after he caught wind of this happening he decided to confront a lady who lives in one of the flats who suffers with depression and anxiety and intimidate her and tell her she will be given her notice after I stepped in and started recording he withdrew this statement, police were called due to the nature of this as she felt like because she is a woman he thought he could be threatening by telling her she shouldn't tell anyone about the problems in her property he had also done this to numerous tenants who Livin the block of flats which there are 14, he has also tried to tell me because I am helping these people I'm not allowed near the block of flats or near these tenants which are my friends, after speaking to shelter cymru the Tennant's have been advised to speak to the council to get a harrasment order put against him but he's intimidated them so much it makes them query weather they should keep the complaint up or get away with it. Within this situation I think it's just generally cruel the way he is being as if the properties were in good order he shouldn't have a problem with them being checked by environmental health

Kath 05/09/2020 at 9:50 am

i live every day with my to next door neighbours who use there water but i'm the one who is stuck hearing it and they won't stop i have told them over and over again to stop or get it fixed and all i get is no answer from the man in unit 3 and called names from the man in unit 2 i have been nice about it at first but they are just upsetting me now i'm stuck inside cause of the virus and have no peace cause i'm having to hear the pounding in my walls they just don't seem to get it then man in unit 2 has history of being disrespectful to women the housing office won't do anything about it even though they have also been told i'm a single women who has health problems and i have the right to live in peace and quiet just like anyone else and it's not doing my health any good i stuck having to sleep when they go out cause it's the only time i can get quite long enough it's an ongoing problem and i feel that it's falling on def ears

AJ 04/09/2019 at 8:18 pm

I own a property and rent to tenants my downfall is I have neighbours who rent to but the landlord has left his work to letting agents which for personal client confidentiality can not let me or anyone else know who or how to make contact with as his tenants have down right have fly tripped my back yard entrance which is split three ways so it’s a back ally which always three properties to use but it’s completely blocked infested and a full full n health hazard I never get tenants long enough to stay once they realise they blockage if hazardous and a cause of health I’ve tried the council many of times and it’s a very stressful and tense situation to be in as I am a pensioner because the property is mine and the ally way is three way I may have to take the fall as there is no response from the three party as there’s no way anyone can help us it’s been over 3 years the tenants keep changing and the pile is getting bigger and bigger and it’s ridiculous as I’m am not responsible for someone else junk and the council begs to state if the court can’t find pure evidence that it is my neighbour and I can prove it in court I can will still have to pay half disputes it not being me I am the end of tether and I really need help this is very upsetting and distressing my wife who is suffering a great deal with her health and she has been warned she is not to take anymore stress as her heart is extremely weak and friagle and I am really in need of help can someone out there please help me

Dee 30/06/2019 at 7:04 pm

Environmental health don't do anything. They let landlords get away with a hell of a lot. They don't do anything about antisocial behaviour either if the antisocial person is a home owner.

I've been trying to get them to help me with both for 20 years. Even the police take the side of the home owner.

I have had all manner of disrepair in my home for 20 years. No hot water for years and due to a long-term leak the baths going to come through the ceiling any day now. It's been leaking through a light fitting. My housing manager knows and so does head of environmental health in Hampshire. Had black and yellow mold whole of my tenancy

eg03xta 09/05/2019 at 9:18 pm

Private renting on a 2 year tenency one year completed .3/01/2019 my partner and I reported paint bubbling on the outer wall of the house and dining room . Paint is now peeling off in dining room and my sons room 8 yr old .
App letting agent have had 2 company evaluate issue and both advise the outer rendering needs to be removed And replaced . The walls are damp and cold to touch along with the sash wooden window which have been erected with plastic for draft excluder . Georgian door that internally is damp and wood soft to touch .
We have been advised 5 months after reporting the ongoing damp house conditions that the landlord is ignoring letting agents correspondence but letting agent advised us the tenet and landlord may be looking into his building insurance for the work which is causing the delays ?
I’m waking during the night with the cold and dampness of the environment causing considerable pain in my shoulder causing then pins and needles in my hands , .

Horsefan 27/03/2019 at 9:43 am

8 Months ago i reported rotten wooden window frames in my home (Hole in corner of one just bigger than a 50 pence piece) 4x Blown glass
Workmen came out and said the job was bigger than they were told as the whole frame is rotten so will all need replacing, i havent heard anything since! After 3-4 phone calls asking what is going on they tell me someone will call me back and i hear nothing! What am i to do?

Crive 05/07/2018 at 10:32 am

A EHO instructed by my lawyer inspected my council property and identified a number of issues during the visit. However, i did not include most of the works he identified during his visit in his report to my lawyer. My lawyer gave me a list of works to be carried out by my landlord which do not include the works required to prevent the issues from reoccurring the EHO outlined during his visit. I recorded the EHO visit and can prove that what is written in his report is in contrast to what he stated during his inspection. Is there a Code of Conduct the EHO must adhere to or an organisation i can contact to report him? Thank you.

Dizzy 17/04/2018 at 5:43 pm

My kitchen cupboards are rotting inside and get little bugs in which I find inside my bags of flour. When I told landlord about they did an inspection and decided they'd replace the doors and worktops ONLY . That was in 2014. Now I find all my neighbours are getting new kitchens as they've been in for over 20 yrs. But they said I'm not eligible as we had new doors and tops in 2014. Yes we did have these but that didn't fix the problems of rot and bugs which I mentioned the first time I reported it . Are they allowed to fob me off like this? Or do they have to replace the carcasses? Thanks

Julie 17/03/2018 at 7:46 pm

I currently live in a tenement block in Glasgow in an affluent area. My Land Lady has told me she wants to sell. The property may be worth £135,000 plus. However there is a slight structural problem with the west bay window. Not my bay, the bay next to mine.
There was a flat sold in 2013 for £50,000 due to this structural issue. A full structural report has been done stating that the work should be carried out before it gets too extensive. However, there are 12 owners, and only 5 are willing to pay their share. The government has offered a grant if 10 owners pay £5,000 each. As you can imagine this is an issue as most owners rent. The question is, what can be done legally in order to get all owners to pay their share? I want to buy this flat as I know it can be sold for a lot more once the work is done! Can it be pushed by the council? Please help. Thanks

Rii 21/01/2018 at 10:56 pm

Hi, I’ve lived at my house for almost 1 year, there is damp so bad by my back door that when you touch the wall the paint comes off onto your hand, I could have my heating on for 4-5 hours and the house is still so cold you see their cold air coming off your breath, I have reported this to the estate agents, they told me they don’t deal with the coldness of the house, the landlord comes by at least every month to”look at the wall” nothing has still been done, since this I have now noticed damp in my bedroom, I’m now struggling to breath in my sleep, what should I do?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 02/08/2017 at 12:12 pm

WE hope the above article helps you with the next steps you need to take.

Billong 30/07/2017 at 12:39 pm

Me & partner moved in flat needed repairs 2 years later still nothing he sed it would be done all the landlord what money every month we are getting slug in all the time we shall report him

stevew2 28/01/2017 at 1:41 am

15 years ago an two storey wharehouse was demolised and a 5 story office was built on it's footprint and extended upwards behnd my home. There is about 40 feet between my building and that one. The work was masssive, desruptive, noisey and went on for two years. The buiding has a very large glass atrium on top of the roof.
A pathway (for emergency exits) runs the length of the roof. The terrace is directly opposite my living room roof and kitchen windows. On the rare occassions workmen use this roof pathway and they have an unrestriced view into my living area. It seldom happens and I can live with that. Last summer a garden table and chairs appeared and office staff began to use it. My partner told me, "as part of the planning permission they were not suppose to do that". I have no memory of this but I do remember that we were assured that the office lights would be put out out night. They were to begin with, then my family and I moved over seas for several years overseas. When we returned the Atrium was lit up all night. The light shines directly into our bedrooms. We can use blinds of course but in the summer it makes it impossible to open the windows. I contacted the loacal authority and an inspector came and told me that the light would have to be bright enough to read a newspaper by. So nothing has been done. I am am concerned that if I don't complain about the table and chairs there will be further developments. Can anyone advise me. Who does one contact? Do we have any rights?

Lee Suzanne 01/12/2016 at 10:09 pm

Myself and my family have lived at an address in Bournemouth now for 3 years. We have always paid our rent on time. We have 4 children aged 13, 7, 2 and a baby. We have a property that we rent for just under £1000 a month. Our windows are still wooden framed, most of which are rotten. Our front door, again wooden, does not shut properly, My house is so cold that my younger children are always ill! My little baby girl ended up in hospital at 4 months with pneumonia for 5 days!!! My landlady has refused to do anything about any of my concerns! Do i have a legal leg to stand on?? If anyone has any advice i'd be very grateful x Lee

ProblemNeighbours Editor 29/11/2016 at 11:11 am

Have other tenants had the same problem? What were the results of the Water Board's tests? If you're unhappy about the actions of either organisation you could try the Ombudsman.

mrrealrealm 28/11/2016 at 5:15 am

I have been a long term tenant of Kent County Council. for almost ten years. and I have had to endure tap water which has a strong taste and smell of domestic bleach plus yellow covered skin after taking a bath. complained to the council after. having my tap water tested. the water board says any probelm must be with me. and suggested that I rent private accomadation. by why should I have to do this???

ProblemNeighbours Editor 25/08/2016 at 11:38 am

Tell her to contact her home insurance company - they will be able to help.

Donny 22/08/2016 at 2:34 pm

Hi,
My daughter privately rents a property. It has been flooded by the upstairs flat. Apparently the landlord of upstairs flat disconnected a washing machine and didn't tap of the pipe properly consequently water had been dripping into their kitchen and came through her roof. She had been away for couple of days so not sure how long it had been dripping for. Her son's bedroom is soaked, and I mean really soaked - squelching - all the clothes in there, the carpet all wringing wet. The whole ceiling is wet and stained and the water was literally running out through the light fitting. Her bedroom next door is also wet but not as bad as is the hallway. She contacted the letting Agents who sent someone round who said 'oh its not too bad just let it dry out then well steam clean carpets and re-paint the ceiling' but you can still live here in the meantime just don't use the bedroom light!! We told her this wasn't good enough and the electrics must be tested before she go back in and also she is unable to let her son stay there as his room is too wet - he's only a toddler. After 3 days they sent an electrician round who checked electrics and said they were OK and also a carpet man who said carpet must be pulled up and underlay thrown away, a new underlay needs to be fitted, the carpet must dry out then be re-fitted and steam cleaned. She was told to empty her son's bedroom so this could be done - she is a single mum, I don't know how they thought she was going to move a double wardrobe, cot and rest of furniture. Anyway she got it moved into the lounge - which is now unusable as it contains all the lounge furniture, all the bedroom furniture and toys and all the clothes (in bags) that got wet and we had to re-wash and dry. It is impossible for her to have her son there - it absolutely stinks and there is no room for him. I told her she must insist again that they sort her out quickly. Apparently the Letting Agent came round today and basically said - it doesn't smell that bad but she did note that there was no room in the flat and that her son couldn't be there. My daughter asked why the work was not being done and the Letting Agent said they couldn't contact the landlord of the upstairs flat. My daughter suggested that her landlord claim on his insurance but they said he won't as he would have to pay the excess, so she said why doesn't he have the work done and then get the money back from upstairs landlord. She was told her landlord wants upstairs landlord to actually pay for the work to be done. He is not prepared to pay upfront or to claim. In the meantime my daughter cannot use her flat, she cannot have her son with her. He is having to stay extra nights with his father (who is not pleased) and then he is dropped off early so he can go to work. She then has to wander the streets with her son until his dad comes home from work and he can be handed over for the night. She can pop into my house but I am having buildi

blondie 21/05/2016 at 3:37 am

Environmental Health inspected my property 3 weeks ago & stated that it was exceptionally cold.
Can anyone tell me how long it takes for anything to be done as I have not heard from Environmental Health or my landlord if any action is being taken

anns 15/04/2016 at 4:17 pm

Artex,has been all wall,and ceilings in four apartment I've stayed here 16 years person before said it was in it when he arrived twenty odd years I've been on to ng homes my housing and they don't bother to the fact they never come on phone I leave messages holes apear,bits of dust and rubble fall got a five year old son am desparate,got problems with breathing at time son is coughing said it courp,[removed]

Shaz 17/03/2016 at 9:43 am

My cold tap in kitchen had to be isolated a week ago as it won't turn off .and nearly flooded kitchen . I havnt had cold water since .Told landlord the plummer is busy he said .what can I do ?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 14/03/2016 at 2:02 pm

You should report your landlord to your Environmental Health department as detailed in the above article.

blondie 11/03/2016 at 6:02 am

I have lived in my property for 7 years now & have always had problems with cold & damp but have got significantly worse. Landlord blames me as I refuse to use night storage heaters.
Last year a damp patch developed on my hall ceiling & the plasterwork is coming off. Every time it rains it gets bigger but he still hasn't done anything about it.
2 months ago my loft hatch broke & is now on the floor so I am left with a gaping hole. I showed him immediately & asked him if he could cover it with a piece of wood. He informed me that a new one had to be made to comply with fire regs.
He knows that I suffer from ill health but I have to sit here in freezing conditions as when I put fire on all the heat disappears under gaps under my doors & straight through the open hatch in my loft.
I also notified him of significant mould in the communal hallway. He ignored my text. I telephoned him a week later & he finally came round but all he did was spray bleach on it.
Have had to resort to contacting CAB & Shelter to see if they can do anything as he clearly won't & I cannot carry on living in these poor conditions. Was so cold I could see my breath in the air & is so cold in bedroom that my clothes feel damp. Cannot dry anything indoors ... clothes more damp than when they came out of my washing machine

Rampan 06/01/2016 at 1:56 pm

Hi would like to ask anyone if I should pay a bond for this house I moved into a month ago. Long story short, viewed the house was a bit of a mess as expected from the last tenants... But o assumed she would be cleaning it up before me and my son moved in as you do when you have nice clean new tenants... Was I wrong the day I moved in the landlord was on holiday and the house was in the exact same state as it was when I viewed it, I couldn't believe it.. Looks can be very deceiving and I even asked her if she will be replacing the carpets as she did but left my sons room with the old, warn smelly dog carpet. The old tenants were disgusting!! The house smelt the same as it did when I first came to see it I really expected her to at least give it a dwp clean before hand as she said she did along with four other people, that must of been toddlers!! And then obviously do the repairs while I'm living there as I needed to get moved for my son. It's been the biggest regret of my life. She has done four jobs out of a good 30-50 since I've moved in and when I text her she either doesn't reply or replays with the bond situation. In my eyes I'm paying for the old tenants damages, mess and all the Rubish and grime I had to get rid of because the landlords lie. She wasn't really bothered about what I had to say to her the day she came for the rent in advance and ended up rushing off as soon as she got it even leaving behind her copy of the contract. Some advise please I have bipolar and it effects me badly I worry about everything to the point I feel like it's the end of the world. I am on housing benefit and they are late with the first payment of the rent but the landlord came to my house without notifying me a day before it was due telling me that everyone else's has gone in her account and all I could say is this is Christmas and its out of my hands until I receive it but it will be coming and will get back dated and this is a woman familiar with the social and they know who she is in her own words. I have plastic over the inside of the Windows, mouldy upstairs and really bad condensation in my bedroom and the wall gets wet through the wallpaper its semi detached and the detatched side that gets wet but only in the bedroom upstairs not going down into kitchen. There is much more but can't go on. Thankyou.

jo 04/01/2016 at 2:35 pm

I have been living in my family home for nearly 7 years i have black mold and damp I have leaks in 4 rooms I have holes everywhere cracks everywhere condensation on the inside of my windows my window seals are wet I have a gap in my kitchen window I also have photos to confirm this I have called and called but nothing is getting done

ProblemNeighbours Editor 10/12/2015 at 12:43 pm

We'd also be interested to know? Hearing about people's actual experiences is really helpful.

MC85 09/12/2015 at 12:45 pm

llrv8 - did you receive a response to your concern? I am in a very similar situation and would be interested to know what advice you received/what's been done since.

Thanks

Salty 05/11/2015 at 9:28 pm

Hi I have a problem everytime we put anything up at the windows the plaster crumbles. I reported my landlord for a broken boiler he then pit up our rent but covered his tracks by saying he intended to anyway so I don't know how to handle it but our bedroom now has no privacy from the world

Dusty 10/09/2015 at 8:50 pm

Forgot to say we regularly are visited by beetles and slugs too!!??

Dusty 10/09/2015 at 8:46 pm

Don't know what to do. Have major problems with damp,mould up walls+windows in my private rented house. Roof leaks and is unlined ,some windows don't shut properly,seals in some windows gone,blown plaster,damp carpets,furniture going mouldy . Don't really want to go through another cold,wet winter. Landlady is aware has been since end of last year.
My husband is disabled, I'm being trialled on medication for an autoimmune disease of my children has bad sinusitis, 2have asthma,as does husband.
Have rent arrears but housing benefit goes straight to land lady now and we pay her £40 a week to pay off arrears.
Don't want to be forced to move,neighbours are my support network, but really need house repairs done. Someone came round,did minimal repairs,gave landlady estimate for work, no longer in business so shes awaiting another quote. Think money is an issue as lots needs doing.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 28/07/2015 at 2:50 pm

@booboo. Put in a formal complaint to your housing department and copy your local MP. If you're still not satisfied try the Local Government Ombudsman

booboo 27/07/2015 at 5:09 pm

On 11July my kitchen ceiling collapsed due to fault with wet floor shower that Leeds City Council put in. An inspector came out said walls in bathroom collapsing everything in bathroom needs replacing floor walls the lot ceiling is mouldy ur kitchen walls are to cos of flood took light and ceiling down and not been back. Cant see to cook plaster still faling off in small chunks still damp cant use bathroom except toilet and getting pushed from pillar to post. Eight people live in my house six of which are children and two are disabled one disabled child is a 19 month old baby with problems with her lungs due to been born premature

ProblemNeighbours Editor 01/07/2015 at 2:16 pm

@mindy. Your council's housing department should be able to advise on this.

mindy 28/06/2015 at 6:27 pm

We are in a council house and have found beetles and holes in our bathroom floor I don't want to move as I have just finished decorating wot should I do please thanks

Suzanne91 21/05/2015 at 6:27 pm

After some advice really. I'm currently 25 weeks pregnant and have a 2 year old son. I live up 5 flights of stairs with NO working lift. There is damp on my walls and the paint just crumbles off constantly. I have old windows which you have to slide up in order to open them and secure them open with a lock. My flat is very hot and sometimes I have no choic but to have them open,I don't know if that would count as a hazard?! I have been down the council and explained my situation and they have told me to contact enviromental health. It is a huge struggle getting one child up the stairs with shopping ( 83 stairs) in some cases I've had to leave my shopping down stairs and take my son up stairs , go back down and bring it up. I find it a struggle myself being 25 weeks pregnant too. Where do I stand ? Any advice would be great - thank you

ProblemNeighbours Editor 07/04/2015 at 12:48 pm

@llvr8. Have you followed the steps in that article example? Eg. Contacting your environmental health officer etc?

IIrv8 02/04/2015 at 1:52 pm

We are currently renting a property which seems to have always had a damp problem. We keep windows open at all times (and watch our heating bill go out the window). Black mould appears around windows especially the back ones which we have since found out was where a fire was before we moved in. Letting agent just tells us to keep windows open. Now have an issue downstairs where there is obviously damps rising in the inside walks as the wall paper has bubbled and now paper/plaster coming off. I pointed out to letting agent that the kick boards were all wet in kitchen back in December, today (2/4) he sent out a maintenance guy who pulled them off to find big pools of water under cupboards. He has no idea where water coming from.

We have actually given notice to leave house and take up new tenancy which letting agent says we still have to pay monthly rent until a new tenant comes in as our tenancy isn't up until August. There is no way anyone will want to move in for the time being so we are stuck with this damp home which we feel is unhabitable especially with a 2 year old with respirational issues (which I have made aware to letting agent). The kitchen cupboards are rotting so work needs to be done whether we are in it or not. If we weren't moving, surely we would have to be out for this work to be carried out. Please help as we are getting desperate and financial losses are now in place. Please contact me by my email address

ProblemNeighbours Editor 02/04/2015 at 10:17 am

@atrisk. Firstly take photos and make a list of the all the problems and any remedial action you've taken yourself to try and solve them. Write down the number of times you've spoken/written to your landlady about this. Send another letter requesting that the problem is investigated and if this is not acted upon, follow the procedure in the article.

atrisk 30/03/2015 at 1:30 pm

How do I contact to make an appointment to view my flat its got mould coming through the walls and have been since I have moved in over 3 years ago the property constantly losses heat through the windows, condensation dose occure when the heating is on full and when the cooker is on but if I open the windows I lose the heat and the gas goes quickly and I have to keep topping up on the metre. My landlady keeps saying its because I don't have the heating on all the time even when I'm not at home for days but I know since living here I lose heat through the windows even with the curtains up its still cold and really drafty even through the summer, its not the best I have mentioned about the seals on the windows being worn and she still denies it, my radiator in the bathroom is rusting the chrome is peeling off and been like that since I moved in, other tenants have left this flat because its not energy efficient. So I'm assuming they have had the same problem like I am having I can't afford the gas constantly topping up the flat I fear my health is at risk

ProblemNeighbours Editor 24/03/2015 at 9:43 am

@No If they've had a flood ask them what has caused it? If your drains need seeing to you should ask a reputable company to clear the blockage or check with the water company to see if it's their responsibility. If the neighbour's flood was serious then their insurance company will be sorting this out.Your insurance company may be able to liaise with the neighbour's insurance company.

no 20/03/2015 at 1:42 pm

The next door back left side( front side of kitchen and bathroom)in a flood with very bad smell that smelly water over flow to my property.what can i do? my family is mentally very upset

ProblemNeighbours Editor 10/03/2015 at 10:47 am

@tattoo. Keep a record of all the complaints you've made and also the evidence that you've collected. Write one further time to your landlord and advice them that you are going to be contacting Environmental health. If this does not achieve a satisfactory response then contact EHO as detailed above.

tattoo 06/03/2015 at 9:59 am

I have a one bed room flat the windows are rotten and there's mould and damp through out its all in my mattress and bed frame as well iv also left to stay on a family members couch as iv ended up with a fungel infection in my lungs iv notified the landlord and sent pictures as evidence in really unsure what to do can anyone please give me any advise

ProblemNeighbours Editor 05/03/2015 at 10:33 am

@Andy. If the problem is persistent and of significant duration, you should contact your environmental health officer.

Andy 01/03/2015 at 10:50 pm

I have been having constant problems with my new next door neighbour , banging doors and on two occasions loud music. I have politely been round and highlighted the problem on three occasions and nothing has changed , on the last occasion he swore at me and slammed the door in my face . I have also highlighted the problems to his landlord whom I know and consider a friend
, he has had a word but the problem I still there .

Evee 20/11/2014 at 9:40 pm

Wehave been having problems with our neighbours (rented property) since they Moved in 2.5 months ago. They heavily smoke in their house and smoke drifts straight into ours (we live in a terraced house). I and my husband are both non smokers and I am also expecting thus find this very disturbing and worrying. Weasked them not to smoke in a house and explained our reasons, nothing has changed. Complained to council, they said they can only send them a polite letter asking to smoke elsewhere - no changes. As they moved not through agency we dont know who is their landlord so we could discuss this with him/her.
We feel trapped and vulnerable in our home.
Any suggestions, pleeease?

Coops 19/11/2014 at 7:32 am

How would your case study work if it were a neighbour that complained rather than the tenants. I've just bought a house and the neighbours are living in a house which looks semi derelict, has mould and condensation at the windows and heaps of rubbish in the back garden. They themselves seem happy to continue this way but it's obviously a health hazard. Also the cellar rooms are being let as a separate dwelling which is contrary to covenants on mine and their property which were built at the same time.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 04/11/2014 at 9:57 am

@t. You should report these problems to your landlord (i.e the council repairs department). They should come out and take a look then let you know which of the issues are your responsibility and which they can help with.

t 03/11/2014 at 10:31 am

I live in council flat above carpark, and for a yr the gutters with no outlet for water that is aroundand right uup to my bricks of flat,basically bricks sit on a yes worth if standing water, yes damp too in a 8 yr property, surely the stagnent water us health issue. I have auto immune disorder, and I go from severe flu and chest, to 4 days well then Iworse again

Gent1947 31/10/2014 at 12:34 pm

I live in terraced house , end house ! Have a communial back , with a wall dividing my end house. The neighbours opposite , in my communial back yard have there outside wall pulled up , with wood , and all sorts of rubbish to burn , for their wood burning stove inside ! It looks like a scrap yard !!! It's really bad ! I have plants and rockery on my side , and it's nice , but our communial back looks disgusting !!! I gave him my shed to resolve this !!! But he's filled that up , plus half my communial back space with his SCRAP ! IT LOOKS LIKE A SCRAP YARD ,I think it's a FIRE HAZARD. Have approached him , he says nobody else has complained !!!! Please send someone to see this ! Before there is a fire. Sincerely. !

Toni Rook 25/08/2014 at 8:40 pm

My neighbors dog barks all day and all night and no one EVER tells it to stop or uses any other methods to stop it.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 28/08/2014 at 2:37 pm

@lexa. Cooking smells alone will not be sufficient to take action but if they are running a business from home they will need to have been inspected by an EHO and also have the necessary insurance and fire precautions in place. There may also be planning regulations or restrictive covenants regarding running a business from their flat. Is the communal door also a fire door? They usually are...this will should be a matter for the landlord, property maintenance company or letting agency. Try going down that route to try and sort this out.

lexa 14/08/2014 at 3:05 pm

We’ve been having difficulties with our neighbor since December 2013 – they run their cooking business (they are at farmers market twice a week) from the residential building block of 6 flats. They leave their own flat door and our main communal front door open as a ventilation. We’ve tried to talk to them few times about the smoke and smell which affect us especially when they are cooking during the day and I’m working from home. Their direct refusal to do anything about the smell has left us very distressed and with no option but to seek advice from the council about the smell. All we have ever wanted them to do is to close their door so the smell of your cooking does not pervade our flat. This seems entirely reasonable and their response unreasonable.
The neighbor became very paranoid with us and have attempted to blame things on us (in writing) such as stealing post, leaving the communal front door open and that I have a personal vendetta against them.

We are reasonable people but using the door as a way of dispersing the smell is simply unacceptable and not safe.

I’m seeing advice and how or whether we should take this case further?!

jackie 27/06/2014 at 4:46 pm

on a visit to a local garden centre I noticed some Japanese knot weed growing along side trees and plants and about 6 knot weed on the floor,i told the assistance about the knot weed and I was told it wasn't knot weed but Japanese palm,sorry iv seen this knot weed over the years and its terrible so I know whats knot weed,it can be spread so quickly perhaps you can call me on 01283- 575189 Jackie r brooks

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