7 Common Frustrations Residents Experience With Repair Processes

Housing disrepairs are a common issue in rental properties and can be a cause of tension between a landlord and tenant. A landlord has basic legal duties with regards to carrying out repairs, while a tenancy agreement clearly sets out the responsibilities of both parties. However, it is still common for housing disrepairs to descend into a dispute between the landlord and tenant. This is often because the landlord has failed in their basic duties with regards to carrying out repairs on a property.

When a tenant reports a repair issue to a landlord, the landlord is obligated to respond to the report within a reasonable timeframe. In the case of damp and mould issues, the most common cause of disrepair issues in rental properties, there is now a strict timeframe a landlord must adhere to in terms of reacting to the report, which is dictated by Awaab’s Law. The landlord faces serious consequences if they fail to comply with the requirements of Awaab’s Law. However, there are numerous sources of frustration a tenant may feel when dealing with a housing disrepair issue, and a landlord has to be alert to these. So here we have listed the most common frustrations a tenant will experience with the repair process.

1. Delays without explanation

Emergency repairs, i.e. those which are immediately compromising the health and safety of a tenant, should be dealt with within 24 hours. Non-emergency repairs also follow a strict timeframe if they relate to damp and mould, while other types of repairs have to be resolved by the landlord within a reasonable time period. Delays in responding to repair reports can be frustrating for tenants, particularly if there is no explanation offered by the landlord. A tenant can feel like they are being ignored, or their complaint isn’t being taken seriously. A landlord needs to follow a structured approach which ensures they respond professionally to a disrepair report, and that they continue to communicate effectively throughout the process.

2. Poor communication

This can manifest itself in various ways, not least a landlord not responding at all to a reported disrepair. But tenants can also be left in the dark waiting for information, or a date upon which a repair will take place, or if they aren’t informed about a delay in repairing the issue. A lack of transparency or conflicting information being fed through to the tenant, such as repair dates or the extent of work involved, can be a further source of frustration.

3. Poor quality of work

It is common for a tenant to experience relief that work has finally been carried out, but then exasperation when it is found that the work is sub-standard, unfinished or hasn’t resolved the root cause of the issue. A quick fix from the landlord rarely resolves the problem as very few disrepairs are single-issue problems. As a result, tenants are still facing discomfort or living in unsafe conditions. Landlords need to investigate disrepair issues with a comprehensive, independent and professional housing conditions survey to identify the root cause. This avoids recurring problems and money being wasted on ‘band aid’ fixes.

4. Being passed around different teams

This touches again on communications, but is a separate frustration for tenants because they can feel helpless and confused. It is important that a landlord streamlines communications, schedules and action plans so that there is a transparent and coherent process the tenant can follow and understand. The landlord needs to lead and manage repairs using a centralised system, rather than leaving the tenant at the mercy of various different contractors, often telling them conflicting information.

Using a centralised system such as Awaab Comply can help landlords coordinate investigations, repairs and communications more effectively, reducing the risk of residents receiving conflicting information from different teams and contractors.

5. Liability disputes

Probably the biggest cause of frustration is disputes over who is responsible for a disrepair, even when one or both parties feel like it is obvious. This still has to be proven with indisputable evidence. Landlords are typically responsible for repairs relating to the structure and exterior of properties, and for fixtures, fittings and installations internally, such as heating, plumbing and electrical systems. However, tenants can be liable for repairs if their negligence or behaviour has contributed to the issue, such as damage to items or cleaning and hygiene issues leading to pests and infestations. These disputes can be stressful, complex and long-winded, and therefore a common cause of frustration for tenants.

6. Arranging repairs

It is typical for a tenant to have to take time off work to accommodate contractors in their home, who can sometimes be late or have to reschedule to another day, or time of day. When a job can be long and complex, this can cause major problems for a tenant who just wants to see the disrepair completed and their home restored to a place of comfort and sanctuary.

7. Access issues

A tenant has to allow a landlord or contractor access into the property in order to carry out repairs, while the landlord has to provide suitable notice that this is happening. Privacy can be invaded if a contractor turns up out of the blue to carry out work and it is not convenient. Ideally a landlord needs to provide a minimum of 24 hours’ notice that repairs are going to be carried out, while at the same time, the tenant has a duty to be reasonable and accommodating in allowing the work to go ahead.

Reducing frustration through better compliance processes

Many of the frustrations experienced by residents during housing repairs are not caused by the repair itself, but by poor communication, inconsistent processes, unclear responsibilities and a lack of visibility over what is happening and when. These are precisely the issues that Awaab’s Law seeks to address by introducing stricter requirements around investigations, communication, documentation and accountability.

While the initial phase of Awaab’s Law focuses on damp and mould, future phases are expected to expand these requirements to cover a wider range of housing hazards. This means landlords and housing providers need systems that do more than simply schedule repairs. They need a structured approach that helps them track cases, communicate with residents, manage risk, maintain evidence and demonstrate compliance throughout the repair journey.

Awaab Comply provides a centralised platform for managing housing disrepair cases from initial report through to final resolution. By creating clear workflows, maintaining complete audit trails and improving communication between landlords, contractors and residents, it helps reduce frustration for tenants while supporting landlords with both current and future compliance requirements.