Section 11 Explained: What UK Landlords Must Repair
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 is the core of your repair obligations as a landlord in England (it applies in Wales too, though Wales otherwise has its own rules). It covers most residential tenancies and can't be contracted away. Here's what it actually requires.
By Theo Chavannes, Founder, FixRoute
· Published
· Last reviewed
Section 11 imposes a duty on landlords to keep in repair and proper working order: the structure and exterior (the section names drains, gutters and external pipes, and the courts read in the roof, external walls, windows and doors); the installations for water, gas, electricity and sanitation; and the installations for space heating and hot water. 'Keep in repair' means putting right deterioration from the property's earlier condition — the duty bites when something falls into disrepair. It's not a duty to improve or upgrade, and fair wear and tear isn't disrepair you have to keep reversing.
What Section 11 doesn't cover
Section 11 doesn't require you to fix what the tenant broke, damaged through negligence, or failed to report. Nor does it cover decorations or cosmetic condition, unless they're so deteriorated that they affect the habitability of the property. Tenant improvements and alterations also fall outside Section 11.
Notice requirement
For a defect inside the home itself, your duty to repair generally starts once you know about it — the rule from the House of Lords case O'Brien v Robinson [1973]. A tenant reporting a problem triggers the duty; if they never told you, you usually aren't liable for that internal defect. For parts you keep control of, such as the exterior or shared areas, liability can arise without notice. This is why a paper trail for repair reports matters — it fixes both when you were told and what you did about it.
Enforcement
A local authority can serve an improvement notice or prohibition order under the Housing Act 2004, s.5 and, in serious cases, carry out works itself and recover the cost from you. A tenant can also sue you directly under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 and ask the court for the work plus damages for discomfort, inconvenience and ill health. A Rent Repayment Order, by contrast, isn't available for disrepair on its own: under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, s.40 it only follows specific offences, such as ignoring a council improvement notice or running an unlicensed HMO.
This is general information, not legal advice — check the GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk sources listed at the end, or a qualified solicitor or surveyor, for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
What does Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 require?
Section 11 requires landlords to keep in repair and proper working order the structure and exterior of the property — roof, external walls, windows, doors, drains and gutters — and the installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating and hot water. It applies to most residential tenancies in England granted for less than seven years. You can't transfer it to the tenant.
What does Section 11 NOT cover for landlords?
You're not required to fix damage the tenant caused or failed to report, and you're not required to carry out decorative or cosmetic improvements unless the deterioration affects habitability. Tenant improvements and alterations fall outside Section 11 too. Fair wear and tear — gradual deterioration from ordinary use — isn't disrepair you have to keep reversing.
Does a landlord have to know about a repair before they're liable to fix it?
For defects inside the home, your duty to repair starts when you're told about the problem — that's the rule from the House of Lords case O'Brien v Robinson [1973]. If a tenant never told you about an internal defect, you're usually not liable for it. For the exterior and shared areas you control, liability can arise without notice. This is exactly why a timestamped record of when you were told about a repair matters in any dispute.
Can a tenant get a Rent Repayment Order because of disrepair?
No. A Rent Repayment Order is not available for disrepair on its own. Under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, s.40, an RRO only follows specific offences — ignoring a council improvement notice or running an unlicensed HMO, for example. If a tenant wants to enforce Section 11 repairing duties, they go through a local authority improvement notice or a direct claim under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.