A recent survey by a property law firm has identified repairs as the leading cause of disputes between tenants and landlords.

Based on responses from 559 participants across the UK, 60% of those who had experienced a dispute cited repairs or property damage as the main issue. In 76% of these cases, respondents said the landlord was at fault.

Formal resolution routes remain rare in tenant-landlord disputes: only 13% were settled via mediation or structured negotiation, and just 6% reached the courts. By contrast, 29% concluded with the tenant vacating the property, while 26% were resolved informally.

A spokesperson for the firm, says: “The data hides the emotional cost to tenants and the financial risk for Landlords, by not complying with or addressing repair issues.”

In a major shift for housing law, new rules now require social landlords to investigate serious issues—such as damp and mould—within 14 days and begin repairs within seven days of that investigation.

This marks the rollout of the first phase of Awaab’s Law, which currently applies only to social housing tenancies but is expected to extend to the private rental sector in future.

In a major shift for housing law, new rules now require social landlords to investigate serious issues—such as damp and mould—within 14 days and begin repairs within seven days of that investigation.

This marks the rollout of the first phase of Awaab’s Law, which currently applies only to social housing tenancies but is expected to extend to the private rental sector in future.

The spokesperson concludes: “It’s a core responsibility of any landlord to ensure tenants have a safe and acceptable living environment. Awaab’s Law will help hold landlords accountable and hopefully prevent such a tragedy from happening in the future. 

“Whilst Awaab’s Law relates to social housing in phase one, we expect a similar standard to become the norm for the private sector within the next couple of years. Landlords who act now to improve their repair processes will avoid potential legal challenges and reputational damage that we’re increasingly seeing in disputes.”