Independent · not part of Lambeth Council
Lambeth Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Lambeth 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 28 days.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 5 October 2026 · How we checkSource: lambeth.gov.uk
Has Lambeth Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Lambeth’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, Lambeth’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Lambeth 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 Lambeth misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Lift breakdownsCall 020 7926 1599
- In personDrop-in repair surgeries (check estate noticeboards)
Emergency repairs
When to call Lambeth straight away
Phone Lambeth straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Emergencies only. The number is in Lambeth’s repair contacts.
- 01Lift breakdown
- 02Toilet not working when there is no other working toilet in the home
- 03Total loss of electrical power
- 04Total loss of mains water supply
- 05Faulty smoke, heat or carbon monoxide alarms
What counts as an emergency, from lambeth.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Lambeth.
Timescales
How long Lambeth Council has to fix it
Lambeth’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Lambeth’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Urgent emergency (EM0) | 2 hoursAttend within 2 hours, fix within 24 hours | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Emergency (EM1) | 1 day | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Routine (R1) | 7 days3 days for some repairs under the Right to Repair | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Routine (R2) | 28 days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Planned (R3) | 90 days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Visit and treat within 10 working days (24 hours for an emergency such as a severe leak), a written summary within 3 working days of the visit, and works finished within 28 working days where possible. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from lambeth.gov.uk and Lambeth’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 28 days ago? That’s past Lambeth’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Lambeth Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Lambeth 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 Lambeth, it ordered between £200 and £1,100 in compensation.
How to complain to LambethYou 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 of that.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
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.
Lambeth’s record
How Lambeth Council performs on repairs
Nov 2024: The regulator found some weaknesses needing improvement, mainly in delivering timely repairs and maintenance, handling complaints fairly and promptly, and how some tenants are engaged through tenant management organisations.
of Lambeth tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Lambeth in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Lambeth Council
- How it handled reports of a leak, damp and mould.Severe maladministration
£1,100 ordered - How it handled reports of damp, mould and a cracked hallway ceiling following a roof leak.Maladministration
£200 ordered
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 27 November 2024; Lambeth tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Lambeth Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Lambeth Council repairs: questions
What is Lambeth Council’s repairs number?
020 7926 6000 (Repairs line) or 020 7926 6666 (Out of hours). Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm. Emergencies in these hours too.
What is Lambeth Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
020 7926 6666 (Out of hours · emergencies). Evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Emergencies only.
Can I report a repair to Lambeth Council online?
Yes, at myhousing.lambeth.gov.uk. Non-emergency repairs. You need to log in to, or register for, a tenant account.
How long does Lambeth Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 2 hours (urgent emergency (em0)) to 90 days (planned (r3)). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Lambeth 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. Lambeth’s own damp and mould commitment: Visit and treat within 10 working days (24 hours for an emergency such as a severe leak), a written summary within 3 working days of the visit, and works finished within 28 working days where possible.
How do I complain about a repair to Lambeth Council?
Complain to the council first, online, by email (complaints@lambeth.gov.uk) or by phone on 020 7926 9694. Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a 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 Lambeth 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 Lambeth Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Lambeth Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Lambeth Council or any council or housing association. We show Lambeth’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 Lambeth?
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Reported a repair to Lambeth Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.