Housing standards

You have the right to use your home as described in your rental agreement. You should have the ability of quiet enjoyment of your home while you live there.

In return, you need to pay the rent and take care of the home. This means fixing any damage you cause (with the landlord's permission). Only trained people should do repairs. You might need to pay someone who knows what they’re doing, instead of trying to fix things yourself. Some repairs must be done by your landlord, but you might have to pay for them - for example if the boiler or electrics are damaged.

Tell the landlord or agent about things you can't fix.

Check your rental agreement to see who is responsible for what.

The landlord usually has to take care of certain things, and this can't be changed, even in a contract. You are responsible for your own things and any damage they cause to the landlord's property.

It's a good idea to make a list of any problems at the property with your landlord at the start of your rental. A landlord may provide an ‘inventory’ at the start of the tenancy. It is very important to check this is accurate and raise any concerns with your landlord immediately. 

More advice on inventories from Shelter

Your landlord is usually responsible for making sure certain things in your home are provided and work properly. This is true for private landlords, councils, and housing associations.

These things include:

1. The outside and structure of the home (like walls, roof, and safety features like stair railings).
2. The systems inside the home for:

• • Water, gas, and electricity - pipes, wiring, sockets, lights, taps, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
  • Personal hygiene and drainage - sinks, toilets, baths, showers, drain pipes, gutters
  • Food safety - kitchen facilities for storing, preparing, and washing up food
  • Cooking -  a minimum of suitable space for a cooker with a gas or electricity supply point, or a cooker owned by the landlord and provided as part of the rental agreement
  • Ventilation - windows, vents
  • Heating - insulation, heaters for living areas
  • Heating water - boilers, hot water tanks, chimneys

Landlords can't fix problems if they don't know about them, so you need to tell them first. It's best to write to them, but you can also talk to them to let them know. Always keep a copy of your messages and any replies.

Some landlords hire a managing agent (like a local estate agent) to handle repairs. You might need to talk to the agent instead of the landlord. Tell the person you pay rent to, as they are usually responsible for fixing things.

There is a sample log sheet on this web page to help you keep track of your conversations with your landlord or agent. There's also a draft letter you can use to tell them about problems. It's a good idea to ask for a reply by a certain date, but be reasonable.

Once informed, landlords usually arrange repairs, but they might need to check the problem first. You can also take legal action against your landlord, but it's best to get legal advice before doing so.

Landlords must fix things within a reasonable time. Simple repairs might take a few days (like changing a broken smoke alarm). Bigger problems might take weeks (like issues needing special access or multiple workers). Very complex or low-risk problems could take months, as long as they don't cause immediate danger (like structural issues or cosmetic problems).

If you have told your landlord or agent in writing about problems they should fix, and they haven't replied properly, you should take further action.

A bad reply can mean no reply, a negative reply, or a positive reply but no action.

In these cases, the council might help through the Housing Renewal Service. A housing officer will try to solve the problem informally first, but it might end in formal action. The council will help if you have tried to resolve the issue with your landlord and followed the steps in this guidance.

You need to show the council proof of what you did, like copies of letters and log sheets. Even if the council helps, it might take time to fix your home because there is a set process. But the council may be able to act quickly if needed.

The council can only deal with problems that might cause injury or illness. You might have to handle other issues yourself. The council aims to reduce hazards but can't always make landlords provide perfect living conditions. They encourage landlords to meet the Decent Homes Standard, but if your home already meets this, the council might not intervene.

The council is also unlikely to intervene if there is evidence of obstruction of the landlord or his/her contractors by a tenant.

You can report the problem in the following ways:

• report the problem online
• send an email to housing.renewal@iow.gov.uk
• write to the Housing Renewal Service, County Hall, High Street, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1UD
• call 01983 823040

When you report problems, make sure you give

• your name, address, and contact details
• the details of the property you're talking about
• the landlord's and agent's details
• a description of the problems you're having
• information about you reporting the problems and any messages you've had with the landlord or agent

Depending on the situation, a Housing Renewal Officer might write or call you to talk about your problems and tell you what to do next. They might ask you to keep telling your landlord about the problems or give more information to help the council decide what to do. The officer might visit you to see the problems and let you know if the council can help.

The Housing Renewal Service can't help you move to a new home or give you special treatment on any housing list. They can only make improvements to your current home if needed.

The council uses laws and rules to help keep homes safe.

The Housing Renewal service tries to solve problems informally first, before taking formal action.

Here are some of the main laws and rules they use:

• Housing Act 2004: This includes the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), notices and orders to landlords, and prosecution.
• Civil penalties: For certain housing offences.
• House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing: Checking licences and property conditions.
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Regulations: Making sure alarms are in place.
• Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard enforcement: Ensuring homes are energy efficient.
• Electrical Safety Regulations enforcement: Checking electrical safety.
• Drainage nuisance powers: Dealing with drainage problems.

The main enforcement tool used is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). This helps the council find and assess risks and hazards in homes. It was introduced under the Housing Act 2004 and applies to homes in England and Wales. The HHSRS looks at 29 hazards, like cold, damp, mould, fire, and falling on stairs. Council officers use it to check for dangers in homes.

Read the Housing Act 2004

The principle underlying the HHSRS is that ‘any residential premises should provide a safe and healthy environment for any potential occupier or visitor’. The HHSRS describes 29 hazards that cover many aspects, including excess cold, damp, mould growth, fire and falling on stairs, etc. Council officers will use the HHSRS to assess what deficiencies exist that cause a hazard to be present.

It's normal to feel worried when your landlord or their workers visit your home. But to fix problems, you need to let them in. Landlords must give you reasonable notice before visiting, except in emergencies.

If you feel scared or worried, it's a good idea to have a friend or support worker with you. The Housing Renewal Service might not be able to help if you don't let your landlord or their workers in or if you block them in any way.

No, you should not stop paying rent to cover the cost of repairs or to make sure repairs are done. Landlords can't use unpaid rent as an excuse not to do repairs required by law, but they might not want to fix things if you owe them rent. The council usually won't help if you owe a lot of rent.

Not paying rent can be a reason for eviction, and your landlord might get legal advice to get the money you owe.