Independent · not part of Gateshead Council
Gateshead Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Gateshead 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: gateshead.gov.uk
Has Gateshead Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Gateshead’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, Gateshead’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Gateshead 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 Gateshead misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Emailrepairs@gateshead.gov.uk
- Damp and mould formReport damp or mould online using the council’s short form at gateshead.gov.uk/article/18022.
Emergency repairs
When to call Gateshead straight away
Phone Gateshead straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Free to call and open 24 hours. Normal hours are Monday to Thursday 8am to 4pm and Friday 8am to 4.30pm; at other times calls go to the emergency team. The number is in Gateshead’s repair contacts.
- 01Burst pipes
- 02Blocked drains
- 03Windows or doors that can’t be secured
- 04Loss of electricity
What counts as an emergency, from gateshead.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Gateshead.
Timescales
How long Gateshead Council has to fix it
Gateshead’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Gateshead’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 24 hoursRepairs that could cause injury or further damage if not dealt with quickly. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Routine | 20 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Planned | 90 working daysCounted from the inspection. | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Inspect within 10 working days and share findings within 3 working days of the inspection. Mould is treated within 5 working days, or within 24 hours if severe; routine repairs within 20 working days and complex repairs within 90 working days. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from gateshead.gov.uk and Gateshead’s damp and mould page, 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 Gateshead’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Gateshead Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Gateshead 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 Gateshead, it ordered between £250 and £1,700 in compensation.
How to complain to GatesheadYou 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
Reply aimed for within 10 working days.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
Reply within 20 working days.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order the council to put things right.
Gateshead’s record
How Gateshead Council performs on repairs
Apr 2025: The regulator found some weaknesses, including a repairs backlog, an underdeveloped approach to damp and mould, slow and inaccessible information for tenants, and poor complaint handling with large backlogs.
of Gateshead tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Gateshead in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Gateshead Council
- How it handled reported gutter repair and the associated damp and mould in the home.Maladministration
£250 ordered - How it handled reports of damp and mould.Maladministration
£600 ordered - How it handled reports of a water leak and related damp and mould in the property.Severe maladministration
£1,700 ordered
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 30 April 2025; Gateshead tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Gateshead Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Gateshead Council repairs: questions
What is Gateshead Council’s repairs number?
0800 408 6008. Free to call and open 24 hours. Normal hours are Monday to Thursday 8am to 4pm and Friday 8am to 4.30pm; at other times calls go to the emergency team.
What is Gateshead Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
0800 408 6008 (Repairs line). Free to call and open 24 hours. Normal hours are Monday to Thursday 8am to 4pm and Friday 8am to 4.30pm; at other times calls go to the emergency team.
Can I report a repair to Gateshead Council online?
Yes, at My Housing Account. Report a repair online at any time. You need to register for or log in to My Housing Account.
How long does Gateshead Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 24 hours (emergency) to 90 working days (planned). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Gateshead 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. Gateshead’s own damp and mould commitment: Inspect within 10 working days and share findings within 3 working days of the inspection. Mould is treated within 5 working days, or within 24 hours if severe; routine repairs within 20 working days and complex repairs within 90 working days.
How do I complain about a repair to Gateshead Council?
Complain to the council first, online or by phone on 0191 433 5353. 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 Gateshead 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 Gateshead Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Gateshead Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Gateshead Council or any council or housing association. We show Gateshead’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 Gateshead?
Other landlords in the North of England
- Gentoo repairsHousing association
- Great Places repairsHousing association
- Halton Housing repairsHousing association
- Hilldale Housing Association repairsHousing association
- Hull City Council repairsCouncil
- Leeds City Council repairsCouncil
- Newcastle City Council repairsCouncil
- Sheffield City Council repairsCouncil
Reported a repair to Gateshead Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.