Independent · not part of Portsmouth City Council
Portsmouth City Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Portsmouth City 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 20 working days.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 5 October 2026 · How we checkSource: portsmouth.gov.uk
Has Portsmouth City Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Portsmouth’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, Portsmouth’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Portsmouth City 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 Portsmouth misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- EmailCustomerRepairsTeam@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
- In personVisit your local area housing office.
Emergency repairs
When to call Portsmouth straight away
Phone Portsmouth straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. For repairs that need reporting outside office hours. The number is in Portsmouth’s repair contacts.
- 01Total loss of electricity, unsafe sockets or electrical fittings, or no lighting at all in communal areas
- 02Total loss of water supply (not a supplier fault)
- 03Total or partial loss of gas supply (not a supplier fault)
- 04No heating or hot water between 31 October and 1 May
- 05Blocked flue to an open fire or boiler
- 06Blocked or leaking drain or toilet, or a toilet that won’t flush, where there is no other working toilet
- 07Leak from a water pipe, heating pipe, tank or cistern
- 08Outside window, door or lock that won’t secure
What counts as an emergency, from portsmouth.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Portsmouth.
Timescales
How long Portsmouth City Council has to fix it
Portsmouth’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Portsmouth’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 24 hoursFrom when the problem is reported. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Urgent | 3 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Routine | 20 working days | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Planned | No fixed targetCompletion date depends on available resources. | No fixed legal limit unless it’s a hazard |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Inspect within 10 working days of a report and deal with emergency hazards within 24 hours. A written summary follows within 3 working days of the inspection, with a follow-up check within six months. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from portsmouth.gov.uk and Portsmouth’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 Portsmouth’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Portsmouth City Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Portsmouth 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 PortsmouthYou 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 the complaint being logged.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a reply within 20 working days of the complaint being logged.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order the council to put things right.
Portsmouth’s record
How Portsmouth City Council performs on repairs
Jan 2025: The regulator found serious failings, including fewer than 40% of homes having a recent stock condition survey, over 1,000 outstanding fire safety actions, and more than 85% of homes without an electrical safety test in over five years.
of Portsmouth tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Portsmouth in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Portsmouth City Council
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 29 January 2025; Portsmouth tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Portsmouth City Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Portsmouth City Council repairs: questions
What is Portsmouth City Council’s repairs number?
023 9284 1311 (Repairs line) or 023 9282 4244 (Out of hours). Monday to Thursday 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 4pm.
What is Portsmouth City Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
023 9282 4244 (Out of hours · emergencies). For repairs that need reporting outside office hours.
Can I report a repair to Portsmouth City Council online?
Yes, at my.portsmouth.gov.uk. Report a repair online through MyPortsmouth. Phone for emergencies.
How long does Portsmouth City Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 24 hours (emergency) to No fixed target (planned). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Portsmouth City 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. Portsmouth’s own damp and mould commitment: Inspect within 10 working days of a report and deal with emergency hazards within 24 hours. A written summary follows within 3 working days of the inspection, with a follow-up check within six months.
How do I complain about a repair to Portsmouth City Council?
Complain to the council first, online, by email (HNBLandlordComplaints@portsmouthcc.gov.uk) or by phone on 023 9260 6383. Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a reply within 10 working days of the complaint being logged. If you’re still unhappy after its final reply, you can take it to the Housing Ombudsman for free.
Can I claim compensation from Portsmouth City 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 Portsmouth City Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Portsmouth City Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Portsmouth City Council or any council or housing association. We show Portsmouth’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 Portsmouth?
Other landlords in the South of England
- Brighton & Hove City Council repairsCouncil
- Bristol City Council repairsCouncil
- Norwich City Council repairsCouncil
- Raven Housing Trust repairsHousing association
- Reading Borough Council repairsCouncil
- Red Kite Community Housing repairsHousing association
- Runnymede Borough Council repairsCouncil
- Southampton City Council repairsCouncil
Reported a repair to Portsmouth City Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.