Independent · not part of Winchester City Council
Winchester City Council repairs: how to report a repair, phone numbers and timescales
How to report a repair to Winchester City Council: the repairs phone number and emergency line, 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 9 October 2026 · How we checkSource: winchester.gov.uk
Has Winchester City Council been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Winchester’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, Winchester’s emergency line is here.
How to report
Reporting a repair to Winchester 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 Winchester misses its own target, complain. You may also be able to claim.
- Email (if you can’t use a phone)hhub@winchester.gov.uk – only if you are unable to phone. Not for emergencies.
- In personCouncil offices, Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm.
Emergency repairs
When to call Winchester straight away
Phone Winchester straight away if anything puts someone in danger or leaves your home unsafe. Press 1 for repairs. Emergencies can be reported on this number at any time, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays. The number is in Winchester’s repair contacts.
- 01A serious leak or flooding inside that you can’t contain
- 02Total loss of water or electricity (not a general supply cut)
- 03A blocked toilet if it is your only one
- 04An outside door or window that is insecure
- 05Dangerous electrical wiring or fittings
- 06Serious structural damage or an unsafe ceiling or floor
- 07A blocked flue or serious heating risk
- 08No heating or hot water where it puts someone at serious risk
What counts as an emergency, from winchester.gov.uk.
Smell gas? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then tell Winchester.
Timescales
How long Winchester City Council has to fix it
Winchester’s own targets, next to the legal limits under Awaab’s Law.
| Type of repair | Winchester’s target | Legal limit (Awaab’s Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 2 hoursAttend within 2 hours and make safe within 24 hours at most; a permanent repair may follow later. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Emergency hazard | 24 hoursInvestigate and complete the safety work. | Emergency hazards: investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
| Routine damp and mould | 10 working daysContract target to complete. | 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 | Following Awaab’s Law, the council will investigate possible significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days, send a written summary within 3 working days, and complete safety work within 5 working days after the investigation. It says it won’t assume damp or mould is caused by your lifestyle. | Investigate within 10 working days; written summary within 3 working days; safety work within 5 working days |
Targets from winchester.gov.uk, 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 Winchester’s own target. You could claim compensation.
Start your claimYour options
If Winchester City Council doesn’t fix it: your options
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Winchester 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 WinchesterYou 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 an investigation and reply within 10 working days.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
Contact the Chief Executive’s Office at complaints@winchester.gov.uk with your stage 1 reference; you’ll get a reply within 20 working days.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order the council to put things right.
Winchester’s record
How Winchester City Council performs on repairs
Apr 2025: After the council referred itself, the regulator found it could not show that all fire, electrical, water, asbestos and alarm safety checks were done, had no up-to-date record of the condition of most homes, and could not show tenants were given accurate performance information.
of Winchester tenants were satisfied with the repairs service in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Winchester in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Sources: Regulator of Social Housing judgement, 30 April 2025; Winchester tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25.
Contacts
Winchester City Council’s repair contacts
Reported it and still waiting? You could claim compensation.
Start your claimQuestions
Winchester City Council repairs: questions
What is Winchester City Council’s repairs number?
01962 848400. Press 1 for repairs. Emergencies can be reported on this number at any time, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
What is Winchester City Council’s emergency or out of hours repairs number?
01962 848400 (Repairs line). Press 1 for repairs. Emergencies can be reported on this number at any time, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
How long does Winchester City Council have to fix a repair?
Its own targets run from 2 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 Winchester 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. Winchester’s own damp and mould commitment: Following Awaab’s Law, the council will investigate possible significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days, send a written summary within 3 working days, and complete safety work within 5 working days after the investigation. It says it won’t assume damp or mould is caused by your lifestyle.
How do I complain about a repair to Winchester City Council?
Complain to the council first, online, by email (customerservice@winchester.gov.uk) or by phone on 01962 848400. Acknowledged within 5 working days, with an investigation and reply within 10 working days. If you’re still unhappy after its final reply, you can take it to the Housing Ombudsman for free.
Can I claim compensation from Winchester 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 Winchester City Council for you. It’s free to check.
Start your claimIs Report Repair part of Winchester City Council?
No. Report Repair is independent and not part of Winchester City Council or any council or housing association. We show Winchester’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
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Reported a repair to Winchester City Council and still waiting?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.