Independent · not part of Newham Council
Newham Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Newham 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: my.newham.gov.uk
Has Newham Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Newham’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, Newham’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Newham 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 Newham misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Damp and mould survey formCouncil tenants can request a damp and condensation survey online at newham-self.achieveservice.com/service/Damp_and_Condensation_Survey
- Damp and mould emaildampandmouldtaskforce@newham.gov.uk
Emergency repairs
When to call Newham straight away
Phone Newham straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Open 24 hours for emergencies. Other repairs: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The number is in Newham’s repair contacts.
- 01Severe water leak that can't be turned off or contained
- 02Water leak affecting electrics or another home
- 03Dirty water coming back up through plugholes, toilets or drains
- 04Broken glass that could hurt someone
- 05Home can't be secured because a door or window won't lock or close
- 06Total loss of electricity
- 07Unsafe electrics that are sparking, smoking or have bare wires
- 08No cold, clean drinking water
- 09No central heating in winter
- 10Someone trapped in a lift
What counts as an emergency, from newham.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Newham.
Timescales
How long Newham Council has to fix it
Newham’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Newham’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 24 hoursattend within 4 hours and complete within 24 hours | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Urgent | 3 or 7 working daysrespond and complete within 3 or 7 working days depending on the work | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Routine | 20 working daysrespond within 20 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Planned | 42 working daysrespond within 42 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Council tenants who report damp and mould get an inspection booked within 24 hours or 10 days depending on severity. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from newham.gov.uk and Newham’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 Newham’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Newham Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Newham 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 Newham, it ordered between £100 and £3,050 in compensation.
How to complain to NewhamYou 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.
Newham’s record
How Newham Council performs on repairs
Oct 2024: The regulator found very serious failings, including large gaps in electrical and fire safety checks, missing stock condition surveys, homes below the Decent Homes Standard and many repairs running past target.
of Newham tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Newham in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Newham Council
- How it handled repairs to communal drains.Service failure
£100 ordered - How it handled bathroom adaptations.Severe maladministration
£3,050 ordered - How it handled a roof leak, damp and mould.Maladministration
£1,200 ordered
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 16 October 2024; Newham tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Newham Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Newham Council repairs: questions
What is Newham Council’s repairs number?
020 3373 5500. Open 24 hours for emergencies. Other repairs: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
What is Newham Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
020 3373 5500 (Repairs line). Open 24 hours for emergencies. Other repairs: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Can I report a repair to Newham Council online?
Yes, at my.newham.gov.uk – Request a repair. Non-emergency repairs inside your home, and communal repairs. Phone for emergencies.
How long does Newham Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 24 hours (emergency) to 42 working days (planned). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Newham 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. Newham’s own damp and mould commitment: Council tenants who report damp and mould get an inspection booked within 24 hours or 10 days depending on severity.
How do I complain about a repair to Newham Council?
Complain to the council first, online or by phone on 020 8430 2000. 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 Newham 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 Newham Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Newham Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Newham Council or any council or housing association. We show Newham’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 Newham?
Other landlords in London
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Reported a repair to Newham Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.