Emergency repairs are required where there's an immediate danger or to minimise very serious damage to the property.

To report an emergency repair, please telephone us immediately. Even when our offices are closed, the main switchboard number at our head office is operational out of hours, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

To report an emergency repair, please call: 01283 528528.

An emergency repair is a problem that represents an immediate risk to safety, security or health, for example:

  • Major damage to the structure of your home
  • An uncontrollable water leak
  • A gas leak or dangerous electrical fault
  • No heating or hot water
  • An unsecure front door or window which poses a security problem

If your repair is not a danger to your safety, security or health, you can report a non-urgent repair.

Report a non-urgent repair

If you are still unsure, please contact us and we will be happy to advise you further on what constitutes as an emergency, urgent or routine repair.

Examples of emergency repairs

 

  • Gas leaks. Contact the National Grid immediately on 0800 111 999, then let us know

  • Total failure of electrical power/lights

  • No water

  • No heating. (Between 1 October and 31 March where an elderly or vulnerable person is living in the property, or other exceptional circumstances.)

  • Toilet not working, broken or blocked where there is only one in the property

  • Boarded up doors and windows where safety/security is affected

  • Major leaks in hot or cold water systems, heating systems or roofs when the leak cannot be adequately controlled

  • Dangerous electrical fittings

  • Fire, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms which persistently sound and cannot be reset

  • Fire damage, making safe only

  • Overflow running

  • Lift breakdown

  • Warden call system failure

  • Emergency lighting failure.

 

Awaab's Law 2025

From 27 October 2025 a new law applies to all social housing landlords. Awaab’s Law sets out new time limits for emergency repairs and says the landlord must investigate any concerns within 24 hours.  

A qualified surveyor will complete all investigations to clarify the circumstances and potential causes. 

If the surveyor finds a hazard, it is categorised as either an emergency hazard or significant hazard. All emergencies must put this right within the original 24 hours. All potential significant hazards will be addressed within 10 working days from notification.  

If you need to report an emergency call 01283 528 528. 

What Awaab's Law means for customers

You need to continue to report emergency repairs to use by phone using our 01283 528 528 number. We answer this number 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even when our office is closed. 

By using this number, we can gather information about the emergency, send the correct engineer, and ensure you receive the help you need quickly and efficiently.  

All non-emergency repairs will follow our standard repair timelines [link], which we have recently refreshed. This new repair services gives you a clear schedule of when the repair will be complete. 

Our Surveying Team is equipped to respond to this new legislation. The Customer Service Team will transfer you to a qualified surveyor to discuss the emergency damp and mould repair. If our all surveyors are speaking with customers, we will take a message and call you back as soon as possible, always within the 24-hour timeframe.  

Emergency hazards included in Awaab’s Law  

  • Damp and mould  

  • Gas or carbon monoxide leaks  

  • Broken boiler  

  • Electrical, dangerous or exposed electrics  

  • Water leak or loss of water  

  • Broken windows or doors, leading to excessive cold  

Hazards excluded from Awaab’s law but can still be reported to us.   

  • Hazards outside of the home  

  • Antisocial behaviour  

If you want to read more about this legislation, you can visit the Government website.

Our Emergency Repairs service has kept our customers safe for many years, long before the introduction of Awaab’s Law. In 2024-25 performance data shows that we successfully manage 99% of our emergencies within 24 hours. You can find more data on our repairs performance in our Tenant Satisfaction Measurements (TSMs).

The new law also says we must update you, our customer, in writing within 3 working days after an investigation. This includes if a hazard has been found or not.  

If we cannot fix the hazard within the timescales, we will find suitable alternative accommodation for you while the repair is completed .  

It is important for you to keep your phone close and accessible once you have reported a n emergency repair , to allow our team to coordinate engineers and to make your home safe as quickly as possible.  

Video calls are used to accelerate the survey and investigation. If you have a smart phone, let us know, as we may start our survey with a video call before we attend in person.