My landlord won't fix the boiler - what can I do?
Direct answer
Heating and hot water are landlord repairs under s.11 LTA 1985. Reasonable time depends on urgency - days for complete loss of heating in winter, hours for a gas safety issue. Escalate to council Environmental Health and consider damages.
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 makes the landlord responsible for keeping the installations for heating and hot water in repair and proper working order. That duty cannot be signed away in your tenancy agreement, and it covers the boiler whether or not it was working when you moved in.
The law does not give a single number of days. The test is 'reasonable time', and it scales with how serious the problem is. A suspected gas leak or unsafe boiler is an emergency that should be made safe within hours - call the Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999. A complete loss of heating and hot water is urgent, especially in winter or where children, elderly, or unwell people live in the home, and a few days is usually the most a court would treat as reasonable. A minor or intermittent fault allows a little longer, but not weeks of inaction.
What to do if the landlord will not act: report it in writing and keep a copy, so the clock on 'reasonable time' clearly starts. If there is no proper response, contact your council's Environmental Health team, who can inspect under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (excess cold is a recognised hazard) and order repairs. You may also be able to claim compensation for the disrepair, and in some cases arrange the repair yourself and set the cost against rent - but get advice before using the repair-and-deduct route. Use the free repairs checker to see your options.
This page provides general legal information for renters in England. It is not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, call Shelter on 0808 800 4444 or contact your local Citizens Advice.
Free checkers
- Repairs checker
Run the free interactive checker for a personalised statute-backed analysis. - More renter questions
Browse the full hub of long-tail tenant rights questions.
Related guidance inside this topic
- If your next step turns on legacy Section 21 notice rules, read Section 21 validity guides.
- For the dates, forms, and evidence behind legacy Section 21 notice rules, see Section 21 checker before you respond.
- If this issue overlaps with section 13 rent increase rules, check rent rise checker to compare the legal tests.
- For a fuller breakdown of landlord repair duties, use landlord repairs checker for the underlying rule set.
- If you need the route-specific rules on legacy Section 21 notice rules, start with Section 21 transition rules so you can check the dates and documents against your own case.
Related articles
- Rent increase rules in England
The split between pre-1 May 2026 and post-1 May 2026 section 13 rules, including Form 4, Form 4A, notice periods, and tribunal rights. - Tenant rights in England: complete guide
The main overview page linking eviction, repairs, deposit protection, rent increases, and illegal eviction rights together. - Renter questions answered
Plain-English answers to the most-asked questions from private renters in England: eviction, deposits, rent increases, repairs, illegal eviction, and pets. - Old rules vs new rules after May 2026
The side-by-side transition guide for Section 21, Section 8, rent increases, and periodic tenancies after 1 May 2026. - Renters' Rights Act 2026: complete guide
The main reform guide covering Section 21 abolition, Section 8, rent increases, pets, and private rented sector enforcement changes.
Common questions
- My landlord won't fix the boiler - what can I do?
- Heating and hot water are landlord repairs under s.11 LTA 1985. Reasonable time depends on urgency - days for complete loss of heating in winter, hours for a gas safety issue. Escalate to council Environmental Health and consider damages.
- How long does a landlord have to fix a boiler?
- There is no fixed legal deadline, but the landlord must act within a 'reasonable time' under s.11 LTA 1985. In practice that means hours to make a gas safety issue safe, and a few days at most for a complete loss of heating and hot water - sooner in winter or where vulnerable people live in the home.
- Is my landlord responsible for fixing the boiler?
- Yes. Heating and hot water installations are the landlord's responsibility under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and this cannot be excluded by the tenancy agreement. They must also keep an annual gas safety check up to date.
- What can I do if my landlord won't fix the boiler?
- Report it in writing, then escalate to your council's Environmental Health team if there is no response - they can order repairs and treat lack of heating as an 'excess cold' hazard. You may claim compensation, and for an unsafe boiler call the Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999.
Use the interactive checker on getrentersrights.com for the full step-by-step result.