Landlord repair obligations under section 11
Direct answer
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 usually requires landlords to keep in repair the structure and exterior, and installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating, and water heating. The landlord normally needs notice before liability for failing to repair arises.
The core duty covers structure and exterior, drains, gutters, external pipes, installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating, and water heating. It does not usually cover tenant-caused damage or purely cosmetic improvements.
Once the landlord or agent has notice of the disrepair, they must act within a reasonable time. Written notice is safest because it records the date, the defect, and any urgency factors.
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 and council HHSRS powers can matter where the overall condition is unsafe or unfit, especially in damp, mould, heating, electrical, or structural cases.
Legal information scope
This is legal information for private renters in England, not legal advice. Court outcomes depend on the documents, dates, evidence, and any procedural steps actually taken.
Related next steps
- Repairs checker
Check whether the repair duty and delay support escalation. - Landlord repair obligations
Read the complete repair rights guide. - Heating repair timescales
Read the heating-specific repair guide.
Related guidance inside this topic
- If your next step turns on landlord repair duties, read section 11 repair duties guide.
- For the dates, forms, and evidence behind landlord repair duties, see heating and hot water repairs guide before you respond.
- If this issue overlaps with landlord repair duties, check Landlord not fixing damp and mould to compare the legal tests.
- For a fuller breakdown of landlord repair duties, use Black mould in rented property: tenant rights for the underlying rule set.
- If you need the route-specific rules on landlord repair duties, start with housing repairs checker so you can check the dates and documents against your own case.
Sources used for this guide
These are primary legislation and public guidance sources that support the legal-information framework used on this page.
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
Primary statute for core landlord repair duties, including structure, exterior, installations, heating, water, gas, and sanitation. - GOV.UK: repairs in private renting
Government guidance on landlord repair responsibilities and what tenants can do when repairs are not carried out. - Shelter England: repairs
Independent housing charity guidance on repair duties, evidence, and escalation when a landlord does not act. - Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
Primary statute adding a fitness-for-human-habitation duty for rented homes in England.
Related articles
- Tenant rights in England: complete guide
The main overview page linking eviction, repairs, deposit protection, rent increases, and illegal eviction rights together. - Renter questions answered
Plain-English answers to the most-asked questions from private renters in England: eviction, deposits, rent increases, repairs, illegal eviction, and pets. - Tenant checklist England 2026
A stage-by-stage checklist for issues before move-in, during the tenancy, and at move-out. - No gas safety certificate? Your eviction rights
How gas safety defects can affect a legacy Section 21 notice and what evidence matters. - Rent repayment order: tenant guide
Rent repayment order tenant guide: when RROs may apply, landlord offences, unlicensed HMOs, illegal eviction, evidence, tribunal route, and limits.
Common questions
- Does section 11 cover boilers?
- Usually yes, where the boiler is part of the installation for space heating or water heating supplied with the tenancy.
- Does section 11 cover damp and mould?
- It can, depending on the cause. Damp from structural disrepair, leaks, heating failure, or defective ventilation may engage repair or fitness duties.
- What should I send the landlord first?
- Send a dated written report with photos, the rooms affected, when it started, health or safety risks, and a request for inspection and repair by a reasonable deadline.
Use the interactive checker on getrentersrights.com for the full step-by-step result.