Independent · not part of Lewes District Council
Lewes District Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Lewes District 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 9 October 2026 · How we checkSource: lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk
Has Lewes District Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Lewes’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, Lewes’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Lewes District 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 Lewes misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- BSW landline01444 836036 for gas or heat pump heating repairs.
Emergency repairs
When to call Lewes straight away
Phone Lewes straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. 24 hours, 7 days a week for emergencies – choose option 2. Report other repairs online. The number is in Lewes’s repair contacts.
- 01Total loss of water
- 02No heating between 31 October and 1 May
- 03Burst pipes
- 04Flooding
- 05Total loss of power
- 06Unsafe electrics
- 07Only toilet unusable
- 08Ground-floor window or door that won’t secure
What counts as an emergency, from lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Lewes.
Timescales
How long Lewes District Council has to fix it
Lewes’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Lewes’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 24 hoursImmediate health and safety risks, such as total loss of power. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Urgent | 7 daysProblems such as a blocked sink, bath or basin. | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Routine | 28 days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Replacement works | 85 daysReplacement doors, windows, kitchens, bathrooms and roofs. | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Under Awaab’s Law the council must make homes with an immediate danger safe within 24 hours, investigate serious damp and mould within 10 working days, send a written summary within 3 working days, finish urgent safety work within 5 working days and start longer-term work within 12 weeks. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk and Lewes’s damp and mould page, checked 9 October 2026. Legal limits from GOV.UK guidance on Awaab’s Law.
Reported a routine repair more than 28 days ago? That’s past Lewes’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Lewes District Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Lewes 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.
How to complain to LewesYou 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
Formal stage 1 investigations can take up to 10 working days.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
If you’re not happy, a reply within 20 working days (the Code’s limit).
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order the council to put things right.
Lewes’s record
How Lewes District Council performs on repairs
Oct 2025: The regulator found some weaknesses, including a backlog of overdue repairs, weak oversight of safety follow-up work, and up-to-date condition information for only 77% of homes.
of Lewes tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Lewes in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 15 October 2025; Lewes tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25.
Contacts
Lewes District Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Lewes District Council repairs: questions
What is Lewes District Council’s repairs number?
01273 471600. 24 hours, 7 days a week for emergencies – choose option 2. Report other repairs online.
What is Lewes District Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
01273 471600 (Emergency repairs · option 2). 24 hours, 7 days a week for emergencies – choose option 2. Report other repairs online.
Can I report a repair to Lewes District Council online?
Yes, at lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk repair form. Non-emergency repairs to your home or a communal area. Don’t use it for emergency or urgent repairs.
How long does Lewes District Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 24 hours (emergency) to 85 days (replacement works). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Lewes District 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. Lewes’s own damp and mould commitment: Under Awaab’s Law the council must make homes with an immediate danger safe within 24 hours, investigate serious damp and mould within 10 working days, send a written summary within 3 working days, finish urgent safety work within 5 working days and start longer-term work within 12 weeks.
How do I complain about a repair to Lewes District Council?
Complain to the council first, online. Formal stage 1 investigations can take up to 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 Lewes District 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 Lewes District Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Lewes District Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Lewes District Council or any council or housing association. We show Lewes’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 Lewes District Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.