Tenant and landlord plumbing repairs: who does what

This page is not legal advice. It is not a reading of your tenancy. It reports what GOV.UK, Shelter England and section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 say on the pages we opened, plus the practical steps that limit damage while you wait. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not the same as England. Where we did not open that nation's page, it says so.

What GOV.UK puts on the landlord

The GOV.UK page private renting: repairs says the landlord is always responsible for repairs to the structure and exterior; fire safety; basins, sinks, baths and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains; heating and hot water; gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation; electrical wiring; and damage the landlord causes by attempting repairs. Common areas, such as stairs in a block, are usually the landlord's too. Check the tenancy if you are unsure.

GOV.UK says you should only carry out repairs if the agreement says you can, and that you cannot be forced to do repairs that are the landlord's job. If you damage another flat, for example by an overflowing bath, it says you pay for that, including damage by family and friends.

Contact the landlord if the property needs repairs, and do it straight away for faults that could damage health. Faulty electrical wiring is the example given. The landlord should tell you when to expect the work. Keep paying rent while you wait. The page does not give a number of hours or days for a private landlord to finish.

If repairs are not done, GOV.UK says to contact environmental health at the council. They must act if they think the problems could harm you or cause a nuisance. If the home seems unsafe, it says to contact the housing department for a Housing Health and Safety Rating System assessment. GOV.UK points Scotland to the Private Rented Housing Panel and says Northern Ireland's standards differ. It does not set out a Welsh process, so check Welsh advice rather than treating the English page as complete.

What section 11 actually covers

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 is marked England and Wales. In a lease the section applies to, it implies a landlord's duty to keep in repair the structure and exterior, including drains, gutters and external pipes; the installations for water, gas, electricity and sanitation, including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences; and the installations for space heating and heating water.

The sanitation limb does not include other fixtures, fittings and appliances for making use of the supply. A machine you own usually sits outside that limb. Shelter England says the agreement might add duties, for example fixing a fridge or a washing machine the landlord provides, and that you are responsible for appliances and furniture you own. Read the agreement. We are not sorting a particular machine.

The landlord need not do work that falls on you because you must use the home in a tenant-like manner. Shelter describes that as looking after the place, ventilating against condensation, and small jobs such as bulbs or smoke-alarm batteries, not fair wear and tear. Blocking a toilet with nappies is Shelter's example of damage you might still be charged for. GOV.UK's overflowing bath is the same idea.

Which leases section 11 covers is in sections 13 and 14, which we are not setting out. Some occupancies sit outside it. That is one reason this is not legal advice.

The section also says the landlord, or someone authorised in writing, may enter at reasonable times, on 24 hours' notice in writing, to view the condition and state of repair. Shelter says you should allow an inspection, that you must get at least 24 hours' written notice, and that you can suggest another reasonable time. That 24 hours is notice before a look around. It is not a repair deadline.

How soon

Shelter says repairs must be done within a reasonable period, and that the time depends on how serious the problem is. The page we opened does not turn "reasonable" into a fixed number of hours for a private tenancy.

It does give a figure for a narrower case. For council and housing association tenants, Shelter says the landlord has 24 hours to fix an emergency hazard, and must offer temporary housing if the home cannot be made safe in that time. That sentence is under that heading. Do not read it across onto every private let.

Report as soon as you can, and keep what you sent and any reply. In a flat, tell the landlord so they can go to the freeholder where the structure or the common parts belong to the freeholder. Hiring a plumber covers quotes once it is agreed who instructs them. Gas work is for a Gas Safe registered engineer. See when to call a Gas Safe engineer.

If water is escaping now

This is not a legal category with a clock. It means water is running, sewage is coming back, or electrics are wet.

• Close the stopcock if you can do it safely. Where it is, and which way it turns, is in find a leak and the stopcock.
• Keep clear of wet lights and sockets. If water is coming through a ceiling, follow water coming through a ceiling.
• Tell the landlord or agent straight away, and say if you have turned the water off. Containing the leak is not the same as replacing a pipe the tenancy does not let you replace.
• Photograph damage before it is dried if a claim is likely. Contents insurance and the landlord's buildings policy are different. See leak insurance claims.

A smell of gas is not a plumbing wait. Use the Gas Safe page. Keep paying the rent while you wait. If nothing happens, the council routes above are the next step we can point to. For your own case, use Shelter, a law centre or a solicitor.

Is a dripping tap the landlord's job?

GOV.UK includes basins, sinks, baths, other sanitary fittings and the pipes. Section 11 includes those installations and excludes appliances for making use of the supply. A tap on a bath is usually in the first group. A machine you bought is usually not, unless the tenancy says so. The awkward cases need the agreement, and advice. This is not a ruling.

How fast must a private landlord fix a leak?

The pages we opened do not give a fixed number of hours for a private let. Shelter says a reasonable period, depending on how serious it is. GOV.UK says you should be told when to expect the work, and that health risks should be reported straight away. The 24 hours in section 11 is notice before an inspection. Shelter's 24 hours for an emergency hazard is stated for council and housing association landlords.

Can the landlord make me repair the boiler?

GOV.UK says you cannot be forced to do repairs that are the landlord's, and heating and hot water are on that list. The gas work belongs to a Gas Safe registered engineer. Do not do it yourself. This page is not legal advice.