Independent · not part of Dacorum Borough Council
Dacorum Borough Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Dacorum Borough 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 20 working days.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 5 October 2026 · How we checkSource: dacorum.gov.uk
Has Dacorum Borough Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Dacorum’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, Dacorum’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Dacorum Borough 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 Dacorum misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
Emergency repairs
When to call Dacorum straight away
Phone Dacorum straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Free to call. Choose option 2 for repairs and emergencies, or option 1 for emergency heating repairs. The number is in Dacorum’s repair contacts.
- 01Total loss of power
- 02Water leak that can’t be controlled
- 03Complete loss of water
- 04Impact damage to your home, such as a vehicle crash
- 05Fire that makes your home unliveable
What counts as an emergency, from dacorum.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Dacorum.
Timescales
How long Dacorum Borough Council has to fix it
Dacorum’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Dacorum’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency (health and safety risk) | 4 hours | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Emergency | 24 hours | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Routine | 20 working daysMost routine repairs aimed for within 15 working 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 dacorum.gov.uk, checked 5 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 Dacorum’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Dacorum Borough Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Dacorum 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 Dacorum, it ordered £3,262 in compensation.
How to complain to DacorumYou 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 reply within 10 working days.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
Reply to your stage 1 response to escalate. Acknowledged within 5 working days and reviewed by a senior officer from a different department, with a reply within 20 working days.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order the council to put things right.
Dacorum’s record
How Dacorum Borough Council performs on repairs
Aug 2024: The regulator found some weaknesses: repairs needed improving given low tenant satisfaction, over 40% of property records were out of date, and the council needed to learn more from complaints.
of Dacorum tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Dacorum in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Dacorum Borough Council
- How it handled repairs to address the resident’s report of damp and mould in the property.Severe maladministration
£3,262 ordered
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 14 August 2024; Dacorum tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Dacorum Borough Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Dacorum Borough Council repairs: questions
What is Dacorum Borough Council’s repairs number?
0800 018 6050. Free to call. Choose option 2 for repairs and emergencies, or option 1 for emergency heating repairs.
What is Dacorum Borough Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
0800 018 6050 (Repairs line). Free to call. Choose option 2 for repairs and emergencies, or option 1 for emergency heating repairs.
Can I report a repair to Dacorum Borough Council online?
Yes, at dacorum.gov.uk. Non-emergency repairs. Requests are passed to Cardo, the council’s repairs contractor, the next working day.
How long does Dacorum Borough Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 4 hours (emergency (health and safety risk)) 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 Dacorum Borough 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 Dacorum Borough Council?
Complain to the council first, online. Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a reply 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 Dacorum Borough 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 Dacorum Borough Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Dacorum Borough Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Dacorum Borough Council or any council or housing association. We show Dacorum’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
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Reported a repair to Dacorum Borough Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.