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Southern Housing repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Southern Housing: the repairs phone number and emergency line, reporting a repair online, and how long Southern Housing has to fix it.
Other names: Optivo
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 14 October 2026 · How we checkSource: southernhousing.org.uk
Has Southern Housing been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Southern Housing’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, Southern Housing’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Southern Housing
- 01Phone or report online. You’ll need an account to 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 Southern Housing misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Emailhello@southernhousing.org.uk (reply within five working days)
- AppSouthern Housing Online app (Apple App Store and Google Play)
Emergency repairs
When to call Southern Housing straight away
Phone Southern Housing straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Outside these hours you’ll be put through to the out-of-hours emergency service. The number is in Southern Housing’s repair contacts.
- 01Water leaking on the landlord’s side of the stopcock
- 02Structural damage after a severe storm
- 03Total loss of electricity
- 04Gas leak
- 05Blocked main drain or blocked only toilet
- 06No heating for a vulnerable resident
- 07Broken locks or security on doors or windows
- 08Lift breakdown
What counts as an emergency, from southernhousing.org.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Southern Housing.
Timescales
How long Southern Housing has to fix it
Southern Housing’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Southern Housing’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 24 hoursAims to visit and make things safe within 6 hours. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Damp and mould that’s a significant risk | Southern Housing says it takes damp and mould reports extremely seriously, has a dedicated damp and mould team, and is working to meet Awaab’s Law. Tell it as soon as you notice a problem. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from southernhousing.org.uk and Southern Housing’s damp and mould page, checked 14 October 2026. 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 Southern Housing doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Southern Housing 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 Southern Housing
This can get Southern Housing to look at the repair again. If you’re still unhappy, the Housing Ombudsman can order Southern Housing to put things right. In its recent decisions about Southern Housing, it ordered £955 in compensation.
How to complain to Southern HousingYou can do both: a complaint can carry on while a law firm makes your claim.
Complaining to Southern Housing
Every social landlord has to follow the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
- Stage 1
Complain to Southern Housing
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 final reply within 20 working days of that.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order Southern Housing to put things right.
Southern Housing’s record
How Southern Housing performs on repairs
Aug 2024: The regulator found weaknesses in the repairs service, missed complaint-handling timescales partly due to a backlog from before the merger, and a significant number of fire safety actions, some overdue and high-risk.
of Southern Housing tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Southern Housing in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Recent Housing Ombudsman decisions about Southern Housing
- How it handled repairs to the fire escape window handles.Maladministration
£955 ordered
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 28 August 2024; Southern Housing tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman decisions.
Contacts
Southern Housing’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Southern Housing repairs: questions
What is Southern Housing’s repairs number?
0300 303 1066. Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Outside these hours you’ll be put through to the out-of-hours emergency service.
What is Southern Housing’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
0300 303 1066 (Customer service · repairs). Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Outside these hours you’ll be put through to the out-of-hours emergency service.
Can I report a repair to Southern Housing online?
Yes, at portal.southernhousing.org.uk. Report a repair through your Online Account. You need to sign in.
How long does Southern Housing have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 24 hours (emergency) to 24 hours (emergency). Awaab’s Law sets legal limits for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould.
What does Awaab’s Law mean for Southern Housing tenants?
Since 27 October 2025, Southern Housing 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. Southern Housing’s own damp and mould commitment: Southern Housing says it takes damp and mould reports extremely seriously, has a dedicated damp and mould team, and is working to meet Awaab’s Law. Tell it as soon as you notice a problem.
How do I complain about a repair to Southern Housing?
Complain to Southern Housing first, online, by email (hello@southernhousing.org.uk) or by phone on 0300 303 1066. 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 Southern Housing?
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 Southern Housing for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Southern Housing?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Southern Housing or any council or housing association. We show Southern Housing’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 Southern Housing has to fix, by problem
Not Southern Housing?
Other landlords in the South of England
- Abri repairsHousing association
- Bromford Flagship repairsHousing association
- Clarion Housing repairsHousing association
- LiveWest repairsHousing association
- Sovereign Network Group repairsHousing association
- Sparrow Shared Ownership repairsHousing association
- St Albans City and District Council repairsCouncil
- Stevenage Borough Council repairsCouncil
Reported a repair to Southern Housing and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.