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What is Emergency repairs?
Last verified 31 October 2026
Emergency repairs are urgent faults that could harm health or safety, such as faulty electrical wiring, a gas leak, or no heating or hot water, which a landlord should deal with straight away. GOV.UK does not give a fixed legal response time, so the right speed depends on the risk.
Why it matters to landlords
GOV.UK says tenants should report faults that could harm health at once, and that the landlord should say when the repair will be done. The landlord is always responsible for the structure and exterior, fire safety, sanitary fittings and drains, heating and hot water, gas appliances, pipes and flues, and electrical wiring. The tenant should keep paying rent while waiting.
Access is the usual sticking point. Normal visits need at least 24 hours' written notice at a reasonable time, but government guidance says shorter notice may be acceptable in emergencies. If a landlord does nothing, a tenant in England or Wales can contact the council's environmental health department, and for an unsafe home the council can carry out an HHSRS assessment. For a category 1 hazard involving an imminent risk of serious harm, the council can take emergency remedial action itself. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate routes.
Example
At 7am on 12 December 2026 a tenant of Callum's reports sparks from a socket. Callum tells them to switch off at the consumer unit, books an electrician the same day, and phones to confirm access that morning. He records the call, the arrival time and the invoice.