Council and housing association tenants in England
Electrical faults your landlord hasn’t fixed
Sockets, lights, wiring and fuse boxes: what your council or housing association has to fix, the safety checks it has to do, and what you can do if it doesn’t.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistUpdated 9 October 2026 · Awaab’s Law: from 30 November 2026
Has your landlord been told about it?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet your landlord’s repair contactsFree to check · About 2 minutes
You can complain to your landlord, then the Housing Ombudsman, yourself for free.
What counts
Electrics: what your landlord should fix
- 01Sockets or lights that don’t work
- 02Exposed, damaged or scorched wiring
- 03A fuse box that keeps tripping
- 04Water leaking onto electrics
- 05Electric showers, heaters or extractor fans your landlord fitted that don’t work
Your landlord has to fix it once it knows about it, so reporting it is what starts the clock.
The law
What your landlord has to do
- 01
Repairs to the electrics
Your landlord must keep the installations for the supply of electricity in your home in repair and working.
Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 11 - 02
Electrical safety checks
Your landlord must have the electrics in your home inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every 5 years, give you a copy of the report within 28 days, and do any work the report says is needed within 28 days. This applies to existing social tenancies from 1 May 2026, with first checks due before 1 November 2026.
GOV.UK: Electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors - 03
Awaab’s Law
Since 27 October 2025, Awaab’s Law makes social landlords investigate and make safe any emergency hazard within 24 hours. The government’s guidance gives exposed wiring as an example. From 30 November 2026 it also covers electrical hazards that are a significant risk: your landlord must investigate within 10 working days, then give you a written summary within 3 working days and do the work to make you safe within 5 working days of the investigation ending.
GOV.UK: Awaab’s Law guidance for social landlords
Landlords compared
When the biggest landlords treat an electrical fault as an emergency
273 of the 306 councils and housing associations whose emergency repairs list we checked include an electrical fault on it. Here’s what the biggest say, in their own words.
| Landlord | Counts as an emergency | Emergency target |
|---|---|---|
| Sanctuary Housing | Total loss of electricity, water or gas; Partial loss of power, such as no lights, or no drinking water. Source | 24 hours |
| Clarion Housing | Electrical faults or power cuts leaving sockets not working or no lighting. Source | 24 hours |
| Peabody | Total loss of electric power, unsafe electrical fittings, or complete loss of lighting. Source | 4 hours |
| Sovereign Network Group | Complete loss of power. Source | 24 hours |
| Places for People | Exposed wiring, or water leaking onto electrics; No power or lighting at all. Source | 24 hours |
| Southern Housing | Total loss of electricity. Source | 24 hours |
| Notting Hill Genesis | Major electrical faults. Source | 4 hours |
| Riverside | No power at all; Damaged electrical wiring or fittings. Source | 12 hours |
| The Guinness Partnership | Complete loss of power. Source | 24 hours |
| Leeds City Council | Unsafe electrics (sparking, smoking or bare wires) or a total loss of power. Source | 3 hours |
| Home Group | Electrical faults that put people at risk. Source | 24 hours |
| Platform Housing Group | A complete power cut. Source | 24 hours |
From each landlord’s own website, checked in October 2026. Each landlord’s page has its repair numbers and full emergency list.
What to do
What to do about electrics
- 01Report it straight away, and say if wiring is exposed, scorched or wet: that can be an emergency.
- 02Ask for a copy of your home’s latest electrical safety report.
- 03Take dated photos of the fault, without touching anything unsafe.
- 04Keep a list of every report, reference number and visit.
- 05Complain if it isn’t fixed or keeps happening.
Find your landlord’s repairs line
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation, and get the work done.
Start your claimHousing Ombudsman
Ombudsman cases about electrics
From Jan 2025 to Sep 2026, the Housing Ombudsman found a council or housing association at fault over electrics in 46 decisions. Where it ordered compensation, it was £600 in a typical case and £1,000 or more in one case in four, up to £2,402. Every case is different.
- Cobalt Housing: how it handled reports of damp and mould. Read the decisionMaladministration
£2,150 ordered - A2Dominion: how it handled damp and mould in property. Read the decisionMaladministration
£2,350 ordered - Uttlesford District Council: how it handled request to be reimbursed for electricity costs. Read the decisionService failure
£50 ordered - Selwood Housing: how it handled socket repair. Read the decisionService failure
£75 ordered - A2Dominion: how it handled reports of no heating or hot water. Read the decisionSevere maladministration
£1,800 ordered - Southwark Council: how it handled a leak, including electrics. Read the decisionMaladministration
£671 ordered - L&Q: how it handled reported electric shower repair. Read the decisionService failure
£200 ordered - Clarion Housing: how it handled reports of communal lighting repairs. Read the decisionService failure
£1,035 ordered
Source: Housing Ombudsman decisions. Compensation the Ombudsman ordered on a complaint, not the amount of a court claim. Ombudsman compensation by problem and landlord.
Claiming
Claiming compensation for electrics
If you reported it and your landlord didn’t fix it in a reasonable time, you could claim. A claim asks for the work to be done and for compensation, usually worked out as a share of the rent you paid while it wasn’t fixed. Three things decide how much.
- 01
How long
From when your landlord knew about it to when it was fixed, or today.
- 02
How much of your home
One room, or the whole home.
- 03
How badly
How much it affected your daily life and your belongings.
- 01You tell us what’s wrong, who your landlord is and when you reported it. About 2 minutes.
- 02We introduce you to a law firm on our panel, with your permission.
- 03They write to your landlord asking for the repairs and compensation. Under the court rules for housing conditions claims, your landlord should reply within 20 working days.
- 04If your claim succeeds, the work is done and compensation is paid to you.
Free to check, and we don’t charge you. If a solicitor takes your claim on, they work on a no win, no fee basis and must explain their fee in writing before you agree to anything. See fees
Questions
Electrics: questions
Can I claim compensation for electrical faults?
You could, if you reported it and your landlord didn’t fix it in a reasonable time. A claim can cover the time you lived with it and any damaged belongings.
Check if you can claimIs an electrical fault an emergency repair?
Often. Most landlords treat a total loss of power, exposed wiring or water on electrics as an emergency. See the table above. Under Awaab’s Law exposed wiring can be an emergency hazard that must be made safe within 24 hours.
How often must my landlord check the electrics?
At least every 5 years, by a qualified person. You should get a copy of the report within 28 days, and anything it says needs fixing must be done within 28 days.
Who fixes a blown bulb or a tripped switch?
Usually you: changing bulbs and resetting a tripped switch are normally the tenant’s job. If it keeps tripping or a fitting is damaged, report it as a repair.
Should I stop paying rent until it’s fixed?
No. Keep paying your rent: rent arrears can put your tenancy at risk. Report it, complain, and claim instead.
Other repair problems
Something else wrong?
- Damp and mouldBlack mould, condensation, damp walls and ceilings
- Leaks and waterRoof leaks, burst pipes, water coming through
- Heating and hot waterBroken boiler, no hot water, radiators not working
- Windows and doorsWon’t lock, won’t close, rotten frames, draughts
- PestsMice, rats, cockroaches and bedbugs
- Structure and roofCracks, falling plaster, unsafe ceilings and stairs
- Lifts, shared areas and drainsLifts, shared areas, drains and anything else
Still waiting for your landlord to fix it?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.