Independent · not part of Cornwall Council
Cornwall Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Cornwall Council: the repairs phone number 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 28 days.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 5 October 2026 · How we checkSource: cornwallhousing.org.uk
Has Cornwall Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Cornwall’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, Cornwall’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Cornwall Council
- 01Phone or 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 Cornwall misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Emailinfo@cornwallhousing.org.uk, including for damp and mould. Have your name, address, phone number and a time you’re at home ready.
Emergency repairs
When to call Cornwall straight away
Phone Cornwall straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Outside these hours, the same number reaches the out-of-hours team for emergencies. The number is in Cornwall’s repair contacts.
- 01Water or roof leak that can’t be contained
- 02Total loss of heating or hot water in winter
- 03Dangerous or exposed electrical wires
- 04Blocked, leaking or damaged toilet, if it’s your only toilet
- 05Blocked or damaged flue or chimney
- 06No electricity
- 07Total loss of water supply
What counts as an emergency, from cornwallhousing.org.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Cornwall.
Timescales
How long Cornwall Council has to fix it
Cornwall’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Cornwall’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 24 hoursFaults that could seriously harm your health or damage the property. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Urgent | 3 or 7 daysFaults that need fixing within a few days. | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Routine | 28 days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Not published | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from cornwallhousing.org.uk, checked 5 October 2026. Legal limits from GOV.UK guidance on Awaab’s Law.
Reported a routine repair more than 28 days ago? That’s past Cornwall’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Cornwall Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Cornwall 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. In its recent decisions about Cornwall, it ordered between £150 and £3,300 in compensation.
How to complain to CornwallYou 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
Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a written reply within 10 working days of that.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
Reviewed by a senior manager: acknowledged within 5 working days, with a reply within 20 working days of that.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order the council to put things right.
Cornwall’s record
How Cornwall Council performs on repairs
Sep 2026: The regulator found some weaknesses: the repairs service is being restructured after a long period of poor performance, and tenants get limited information on performance, anti-social behaviour and complaints.
of Cornwall tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Cornwall in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Cornwall Council
- How it handled a report of a leak.Maladministration
£150 ordered - How it handled concerns about major building works and repairs, including the installation of aids and adaptations.Maladministration
£1,500 ordered - How it handled concerns about damp and mould in the property.Severe maladministration
£3,300 ordered
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 30 September 2026; Cornwall tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Cornwall Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Cornwall Council repairs: questions
What is Cornwall Council’s repairs number?
0300 123 4161. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Outside these hours, the same number reaches the out-of-hours team for emergencies.
What is Cornwall Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
0300 123 4161 (Repairs line). Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Outside these hours, the same number reaches the out-of-hours team for emergencies.
Can I report a repair to Cornwall Council online?
Yes, at cornwallhousing.org.uk repair form. Online form for non-emergency repairs. No account needed. Phone for emergencies.
How long does Cornwall Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 24 hours (emergency) to 28 days (routine). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Cornwall 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.
How do I complain about a repair to Cornwall Council?
Complain to the council first, online, by email (cornwallhousingcomplaints@cornwallhousing.org.uk) or by phone on 0300 123 4161. Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a written reply within 10 working days of that. If you’re still unhappy after its final reply, you can take it to the Housing Ombudsman for free.
Can I claim compensation from Cornwall 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 Cornwall Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Cornwall Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Cornwall Council or any council or housing association. We show Cornwall’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 Cornwall?
Other landlords in the South of England
- Bristol City Council repairsCouncil
- Cottsway Housing repairsHousing association
- Crawley Borough Council repairsCouncil
- Cross Keys Homes repairsHousing association
- Curo repairsHousing association
- Norwich City Council repairsCouncil
- Portsmouth City Council repairsCouncil
- Southampton City Council repairsCouncil
Reported a repair to Cornwall Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.