Guides › Rent and Deposits › No Heating or Hot Water in Your Rented Home
No Heating or Hot Water in Your Rented Home
Landlords are always responsible for heating and hot water, and for gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation. Report the fault straight away, especially if it could harm health, and keep paying rent while you wait. If it is not fixed, contact your council's environmental health team, which must act if the problem could harm you. Council and housing association tenants also have Awaab's Law emergency deadlines.
At A Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Who Is Responsible
Private Renting
Your landlord is always responsible for heating and hot water, and gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation. Report problems straight away for faults that could damage health, and carry on paying rent while you are waiting. The landlord should tell you when to expect the repairs. source
Council Action
If repairs are not done, contact your local council's environmental health department. It must take action if it thinks the problems could harm you or cause a nuisance to others. source
Social Housing
Under Awaab's Law, emergency hazards such as broken boilers must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 24 hoursEmergency repairsSocial landlords, Awaab's Law
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Report the fault in writing and by phone, noting the time.
Step 2 of 5
Say who in the home is vulnerable to cold.
Step 3 of 5
Keep paying rent.
Step 4 of 5
If nothing happens, contact the council's environmental health team.
Step 5 of 5
Keep a log with our Repairs Log tool.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Your Local Council
Housing or environmental health team. It can act on landlord breaches.
Shelter England
Free advice on deposit claims and eviction notices.
Citizens Advice
Free advice on any renting problem.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Do not stop paying rent: it gives the landlord a ground for possession.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different housing rules.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 15 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/private-renting/repairs Checked 15 October 2026
- gov.uk/government/publications/awaabs-law-guidance-for-tenants-in-social-housing/awaabs-law-guidance-for-tenants-in-social-housing Checked 15 October 2026
- england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/check_your_tenancy_deposit_is_protected/deposit_not_protected Checked 12 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk Checked 8 October 2026