Can I Refuse to Pay Rent if Repairs Are Not Done? (England & Wales)
Housing Repair Help Editorial Team · Reclaim Experts Ltd is a Claims Management Company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 1030701. You do not have to use a claims management company to pursue a complaint or explore your legal options. You can report repair problems directly to your landlord. If you have an unresolved housing complaint, eligible tenants can also use the Housing Ombudsman Service free of charge: https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/residents/.
Published 5 September 2025. Last reviewed and updated 3 September 2026.
When a landlord repeatedly fails to carry out necessary repairs, many tenants understandably consider withholding rent as a way to force action. This article explains why stopping rent payments can be risky and outlines safer, more effective steps you can take instead.
Can I Refuse to Pay Rent if Repairs Are Not Done?
No — not safely. In England and Wales, your obligation to pay rent and your landlord's obligation to carry out repairs are treated as separate legal duties. Refusing to pay rent, even over serious disrepair, can lead to eviction for arrears — creating more problems for you than your landlord.
Why Stopping Rent Can Be Risky
Risk of Eviction
Even if the property is in disrepair, a landlord can apply to court for possession if rent is unpaid
Weakens Your Position
Arrears over £1,000 can significantly weaken your case — solicitors may decline to act and courts may view it unfavourably
Affects Credit & References
Rent arrears can make it harder to rent in the future
Can I Deduct Repair Costs from My Rent?
This is the one narrow exception tenants often ask about. In limited circumstances you can pay for urgent repairs yourself and deduct the reasonable cost from future rent — but the rules are strict and getting them wrong leaves you in arrears:
Report the problem to your landlord in writing first and allow reasonable time to fix it
Only use this route for repairs the landlord is legally responsible for
Get at least two quotes and keep every receipt
Write to the landlord before deducting, explaining the costs and enclosing evidence
Only deduct a reasonable amount — never stop rent entirely
Because mistakes can trigger possession proceedings, get advice from Citizens Advice or a housing solicitor before deducting anything from your rent.
Better Steps Tenants Can Take
There are more effective and legally safer ways to deal with a landlord who won't carry out repairs:
Put your complaint in writing
Contact your local council
Seek advice from Citizens Advice
Consider a housing disrepair claim
If conditions are met, you may be able to check your eligibility for a formal claim to get repairs done and claim compensation.
Reporting Repairs Properly
How you report repairs matters. To protect yourself legally, always:
Report in writing (email is ideal as it creates a timestamp)
Include clear descriptions and dated photographs
Keep copies of all correspondence
Follow up if you don't receive a response within a reasonable time
Note any repair visits — what was done and whether the issue was resolved
Getting Professional Help
If your landlord continues to ignore serious disrepair, seeking professional legal advice is often the most effective next step. Many housing disrepair solicitors work on a no win, no fee basis.
A solicitor can assess your situation, arrange an independent property inspection, and advise on whether you have grounds for a claim. They can also write to your landlord on your behalf, which often prompts faster action.
Who is Housing Repair Help?
The facts about who we are, how we work and what you pay, set out plainly.
Who operates the service
Housing Repair Help is a trading style of Reclaim Experts Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 16058317) with its registered office at Innovation Centre, 49 Oxford Street, Leicester, LE1 5XY.
FCA status
Reclaim Experts Ltd is a Claims Management Company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 1030701. You can check its entry on the FCA Register. It is also registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (registration number ZB869483).
What our role is
We provide free, plain-English information about housing disrepair, run a free eligibility check based on the details and evidence you provide, and help organise photos, reports and correspondence into a clear case file. Housing Repair Help is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal representation.
What happens after you submit an enquiry
Every enquiry is reviewed against the same criteria before it is passed on: whether the disrepair falls within the landlord's repairing obligations, whether the landlord was told about the problem and given a reasonable chance to fix it, the severity of the problem, the quality of the evidence, and how long it has continued. If your case is not suitable we tell you and point you to free routes such as the Housing Ombudsman Service, Citizens Advice and Shelter.
Our relationship with the solicitor
Suitable cases are introduced to specialist housing disrepair solicitors on our panel. Those firms are independent of us and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. They decide whether to take a case on, and any legal advice comes from them once they have been formally instructed and a client care agreement is in place.
How referrals work
When a case is suitable, we pass it to a specialist housing disrepair solicitor on our panel. Reclaim Experts Ltd receives a fee from the solicitor for any successful recommendation. You are never charged for the introduction.
What you pay
You pay nothing to Housing Repair Help. We do not charge tenants a fee for our eligibility check or our introduction service.
What "No Win No Fee" means
The solicitors on our panel may offer to run your claim under a No Win No Fee agreement. Under such an agreement, the solicitor's fee is only payable if your claim succeeds, and is then usually recovered from your compensation. If your claim does not succeed, you do not pay the solicitor a fee for their time. The solicitor will explain the full terms before you sign anything, and you are free to choose a solicitor of your own instead.
Has your landlord failed to make repairs?
If your landlord has failed to repair serious problems in your home, you can check whether your situation may qualify for further review.
Start Your ClaimFCA Regulated Claims Management Company FRN: 1030701
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Further Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
This article provides general information about housing issues in England and Wales and does not constitute legal advice. Legal services may be provided by independent solicitors where appropriate.