Independent · not part of Look Ahead
Look Ahead repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Look Ahead: the repairs phone number and emergency line, reporting a repair online, and how long Look Ahead has to fix it. Look Ahead’s own target for routine repairs is 20 working days.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 9 October 2026 · How we checkSource: lookahead.org.uk
Has Look Ahead been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Look Ahead’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, Look Ahead’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Look Ahead
- 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 Look Ahead misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Emailrepairs@lookahead.org.uk for repairs-related queries
- Support worker or housing officerYou can also report damp, mould or other serious hazards to your support worker or housing officer.
Emergency repairs
When to call Look Ahead straight away
Phone Look Ahead straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Customer Contact Centre, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Out of hours and at weekends, the same number puts you through to the emergency service. The number is in Look Ahead’s repair contacts.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Look Ahead.
Timescales
How long Look Ahead has to fix it
Look Ahead’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Look Ahead’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 4 hoursResponse time for emergencies reported within opening hours. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Urgent | 5 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Routine | 20 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Look Ahead says it will investigate damp and mould within 10 working days, tell you what it found within 3 working days, and make your home safe within 5 working days (24 hours in an emergency) if there is a serious health risk, offering somewhere else to stay if it can’t. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from lookahead.org.uk and Look Ahead’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 20 working days ago? That’s past Look Ahead’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Look Ahead doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Look Ahead 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 Look Ahead
This can get Look Ahead to look at the repair again. If you’re still unhappy, the Housing Ombudsman can order Look Ahead to put things right.
How to complainYou can do both: a complaint can carry on while a law firm makes your claim.
Complaining to Look Ahead
Every social landlord has to follow the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
- Stage 1
Complain to Look Ahead
Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a written outcome within 10 working days of that.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
Looked at again by a different manager, with a written outcome within 20 working days of acknowledgement.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order Look Ahead to put things right.
Look Ahead’s record
How Look Ahead performs on repairs
Sep 2026: The regulator found some weaknesses: Look Ahead could not show its board had assurance that damp and mould hazards were investigated and fixed within legal timescales, and it needs better information on tenants’ needs, though repairs and complaints were handled well.
of Look Ahead tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 9 September 2026; Look Ahead tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25.
Contacts
Look Ahead’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Look Ahead repairs: questions
What is Look Ahead’s repairs number?
0333 010 4600. Customer Contact Centre, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Out of hours and at weekends, the same number puts you through to the emergency service.
What is Look Ahead’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
0333 010 4600 (Repairs line). Customer Contact Centre, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Out of hours and at weekends, the same number puts you through to the emergency service.
Can I report a repair to Look Ahead online?
Yes, at lookahead.org.uk repairs form. Online request form for electrical, gas, water and general repairs, including damp and mould. No account needed.
How long does Look Ahead have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 4 hours (emergency) 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 Look Ahead tenants?
Since 27 October 2025, Look Ahead 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. Look Ahead’s own damp and mould commitment: Look Ahead says it will investigate damp and mould within 10 working days, tell you what it found within 3 working days, and make your home safe within 5 working days (24 hours in an emergency) if there is a serious health risk, offering somewhere else to stay if it can’t.
How do I complain about a repair to Look Ahead?
Complain to Look Ahead first, online, by email (feedback@lookahead.org.uk) or by phone on 020 7368 6989. Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a written outcome 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 Look Ahead?
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 Look Ahead for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Look Ahead?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Look Ahead or any council or housing association. We show Look Ahead’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 Look Ahead has to fix, by problem
Not Look Ahead?
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Reported a repair to Look Ahead and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.