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Southampton City Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Southampton City Council: the repairs phone numbers and emergency line, and how long the council has to fix it.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 5 October 2026 · How we checkSource: southampton.gov.uk
Has Southampton City Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Southampton’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, Southampton’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Southampton City Council
- 01Phone the repairs line. 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 Southampton misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
Emergency repairs
When to call Southampton straight away
Phone Southampton straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. For emergency repairs to council homes outside office hours. The number is in Southampton’s repair contacts.
- 01Locked out of your home, or stuck inside it
- 02Front door won’t lock or shut securely
- 03Smashed ground-floor window leaving your home open
- 04Burst pipe causing flooding, or a leak that can’t be contained
- 05Electrical danger, such as exposed wires or a broken or sounding smoke alarm
- 06No heating or hot water where someone is over 70, disabled, has young children or is in supported housing
- 07Suspected gas leak or carbon monoxide: call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999
What counts as an emergency, from southampton.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Southampton.
Timescales
How long Southampton City Council has to fix it
Southampton doesn’t publish repair targets on its website. These are the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Southampton’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Not published | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Legal limits from GOV.UK guidance on Awaab’s Law.
Reported a repair and it still isn’t fixed? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Southampton City Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Southampton 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 Southampton, it ordered £2,670 in compensation.
How to complainYou 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 (the Code’s limits).
- 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.
Southampton’s record
How Southampton City Council performs on repairs
Nov 2024: The regulator found serious failings, including 47% of homes not meeting the Decent Homes Standard, poor routine repairs performance and long call waiting times, overdue communal asbestos checks, and complaints not dealt with promptly.
of Southampton tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Southampton in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Southampton City Council
- How it handled reports of water ingress, damp, and mould.Maladministration
£2,670 ordered
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 27 November 2024; Southampton tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Southampton City Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Southampton City Council repairs: questions
What is Southampton City Council’s repairs number?
023 8083 3006 (Repairs line) or 023 8023 3344 (Out of hours). For emergencies in office hours, choose option 2. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 8:30am to 5pm, Wednesday 9am to 5pm, Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm.
What is Southampton City Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
023 8023 3344 (Out of hours · emergencies). For emergency repairs to council homes outside office hours.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Southampton 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.
How do I complain about a repair to Southampton City Council?
Complain to the council first. It should acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and 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 Southampton 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 Southampton City Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Southampton City Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Southampton City Council or any council or housing association. We show Southampton’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 Southampton?
Other landlords in the South of England
- Brighton & Hove City Council repairsCouncil
- Bristol City Council repairsCouncil
- Norwich City Council repairsCouncil
- Portsmouth City Council repairsCouncil
- Southend-on-Sea City Council repairsCouncil
- Southern Housing repairsHousing association
- Sovereign Network Group repairsHousing association
- Sparrow Shared Ownership repairsHousing association
Reported a repair to Southampton City Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.