Independent · not part of Harlow Council
Harlow Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Harlow Council: the repairs phone number and emergency line, reporting a repair online, and how long the council has to fix it.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 5 October 2026 · How we checkSource: harlow.gov.uk
Has Harlow Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Harlow’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, Harlow’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Harlow 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 Harlow misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Emailrepairs@htsgroupltd.co.uk (HTS carries out repairs for the council; also for damp and mould)
- In personFree phone service at the Civic Centre
Emergency repairs
When to call Harlow straight away
Phone Harlow straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Best for urgent repairs. The council’s repairs policy says emergencies can be reported on this number 24 hours a day. The number is in Harlow’s repair contacts.
- 01No water supply at all
- 02Unsafe electrics
- 03No heating or hot water (November to April)
- 04Gas supply cut off
- 05Faulty fire door closer
What counts as an emergency, from harlow.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Harlow.
Timescales
How long Harlow Council has to fix it
Harlow’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Harlow’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 2 hoursAttend within 2 hours and make safe within 24 hours. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Urgent | 5 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Standard | 25 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Inspect within 10 working days of being told, with written findings within 3 working days of that. Serious health and safety risks are fixed within 3 working days of the findings, and emergencies within 24 hours. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from harlow.gov.uk and Harlow’s damp and mould page, checked 5 October 2026. Legal limits from GOV.UK guidance on Awaab’s Law.
Reported a repair and it still isn’t fixed? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Harlow Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Harlow 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 Harlow, it ordered between £300 and £500 in compensation.
How to complain to HarlowYou 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 3 working days, with a full reply within 10 working days.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
Acknowledged within 3 working days, with a full reply within 20 working days.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order the council to put things right.
Harlow’s record
How Harlow Council performs on repairs
Sep 2024: The regulator found serious failings in fire safety: only about a fifth of required fire risk assessments were done, with hundreds of overdue high-risk actions and around 1,500 overdue medium-risk actions.
of Harlow tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Harlow in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Harlow Council
- How it handled repairs to the communal entrance door and intercom system.Maladministration
£300 ordered - How it handled reports of damp and mould.Maladministration
£500 ordered
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 25 September 2024; Harlow tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Harlow Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Harlow Council repairs: questions
What is Harlow Council’s repairs number?
01279 446666. Best for urgent repairs. The council’s repairs policy says emergencies can be reported on this number 24 hours a day.
What is Harlow Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
01279 446666 (Repairs Centre). Best for urgent repairs. The council’s repairs policy says emergencies can be reported on this number 24 hours a day.
Can I report a repair to Harlow Council online?
Yes, at myhome.harlow.gov.uk. Report a repair through your MyHome account. You need to log in.
How long does Harlow Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 2 hours (emergency) to 25 working days (standard). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Harlow 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. Harlow’s own damp and mould commitment: Inspect within 10 working days of being told, with written findings within 3 working days of that. Serious health and safety risks are fixed within 3 working days of the findings, and emergencies within 24 hours.
How do I complain about a repair to Harlow Council?
Complain to the council first, online or by phone on 01279 446655. Acknowledged within 3 working days, with a full 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 Harlow 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 Harlow Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Harlow Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Harlow Council or any council or housing association. We show Harlow’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 Harlow?
Other landlords in the South of England
- Bristol City Council repairsCouncil
- Hastoe repairsHousing association
- Havebury Homes repairsHousing association
- Heart of Medway Housing Association repairsHousing association
- Hightown Housing Association repairsHousing association
- Norwich City Council repairsCouncil
- Portsmouth City Council repairsCouncil
- Southampton City Council repairsCouncil
Reported a repair to Harlow Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.