Independent · not part of Cambridge City Council
Cambridge City Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Cambridge City Council: the repairs phone numbers and emergency line, reporting a repair online, and how long the council has to fix it. The council’s own target for routine repairs is 20 working days.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 7 October 2026 · How we checkSource: cambridge.gov.uk
Has Cambridge City Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Cambridge’s repair contactsFree to check · About 2 minutes
Emergency? If you smell gas, leave and call 0800 111 999 now. For a flood, fire or loss of power, Cambridge’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Cambridge City Council
- 01Phone or report online. You’ll need an account to report online. Emergencies are by phone only.
- 02Say what’s wrong and where. Mention damp, mould or anything dangerous straight away, and how long it’s been a problem.
- 03Get a reference number. Write it down with the date, and keep photos of the problem.
- 04Chase it if it’s late. If Cambridge misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Emailhousing.repairs@cambridge.gov.uk – also for chasing a repair that hasn’t been done well or fast enough
- Damp and mould formReport damp, condensation or mould online with photos: forms.cambridge.gov.uk/REPORTDAMP/launch
- Damp and mould emailcondensation@cambridge.gov.uk – for queries about a damp case already reported
Emergency repairs
When to call Cambridge straight away
Phone Cambridge straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. For emergency repairs outside office hours, including overnight and at weekends. The number is in Cambridge’s repair contacts.
- 01Burst or leaking water or heating pipes
- 02Broken glass in any door or window
- 03Outside doors that won’t close or lock
- 04Ground-floor windows that won’t close or lock
- 05No power
- 06An electrical fitting that is smoking
- 07A faulty smoke detector
What counts as an emergency, from cambridge.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Cambridge.
Timescales
How long Cambridge City Council has to fix it
Cambridge’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Cambridge’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 24 hours | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Urgent | 3 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Routine | 20 working daysWeekday appointments, 8am to midday or midday to 4pm. | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | The council will contact you within two working days of your damp report and send a surveyor within 10 days. Emergency cases get a contractor in touch within 24 hours, and any work found is arranged within four weeks of the survey report. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from cambridge.gov.uk and Cambridge’s damp and mould page, checked 7 October 2026. Legal limits from GOV.UK guidance on Awaab’s Law.
Reported a routine repair more than 20 working days ago? That’s past Cambridge’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Cambridge City Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Cambridge for you. It asks for the repairs to be done and claims compensation, usually worked out as a share of the rent you paid while the problem wasn’t fixed.
Start your claim 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 feesComplain
Complain to the council
This can get the council to look at the repair again. If you’re still unhappy, the Housing Ombudsman can order the council to put things right.
How to complain to CambridgeYou can do both: a complaint can carry on while a law firm makes your claim.
Complaining to the council
Every social landlord has to follow the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
- Stage 1
Complain to the council
Passed to the right service manager, with a reply aimed for within 10 working days.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
If you’re still unhappy, a senior manager reviews your complaint.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order the council to put things right.
Cambridge’s record
How Cambridge City Council performs on repairs
Oct 2025: The regulator found some weaknesses, mainly that fewer than half of homes had an internal stock condition survey in the last five years, along with overdue fire safety actions and gaps in safety data.
of Cambridge tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Cambridge in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 15 October 2025; Cambridge tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25.
Contacts
Cambridge City Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Cambridge City Council repairs: questions
What is Cambridge City Council’s repairs number?
01223 457000 (Repairs line) or 0300 303 8389 (Out of hours) or 0800 111 4044 (Heating and hot water (TSG)). For repair requests to your council home.
What is Cambridge City Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
0300 303 8389 (Out of hours · emergencies). For emergency repairs outside office hours, including overnight and at weekends.
Can I report a repair to Cambridge City Council online?
Yes, at housing.cambridge.gov.uk. Request a repair through the council’s housing portal. You need to register for an account. Phone in an emergency.
How long does Cambridge City Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 24 hours (emergency) to 20 working days (routine). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Cambridge City Council tenants?
Since 27 October 2025, the council must investigate emergency hazards and make them safe within 24 hours, and investigate significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days. From 30 November 2026 the law covers more hazards, including excess cold, electrical hazards, falls and fire. Cambridge’s own damp and mould commitment: The council will contact you within two working days of your damp report and send a surveyor within 10 days. Emergency cases get a contractor in touch within 24 hours, and any work found is arranged within four weeks of the survey report.
How do I complain about a repair to Cambridge City Council?
Complain to the council first, online or by phone on 01223 457000. Passed to the right service manager, with a reply aimed for within 10 working days. If you’re still unhappy after its final reply, you can take it to the Housing Ombudsman for free.
Can I claim compensation from Cambridge City Council?
You could, if you reported a repair and it wasn’t fixed in a reasonable time. A law firm on our panel can take it up with Cambridge City Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Cambridge City Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Cambridge City Council or any council or housing association. We show Cambridge’s own repair contacts, and if a repair you’ve reported hasn’t been fixed, we can introduce your claim to a law firm on our panel.
Repair problems
What the council has to fix, by problem
Not Cambridge?
Other landlords in the South of England
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Reported a repair to Cambridge City Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.