Contact the council officer named on the improvement notice today and ask for a written update on what enforcement action will happen now that the deadline has passed. If nothing is chased, the usual result is that the landlord carries on delaying repairs and the property stays in the same condition. Keep paying rent as normal and focus on getting a clear paper trail of what was required and what has not been done. If the council does not respond, move to the council’s official complaints process and ask for the case to be reviewed by a senior officer.
What the problem is
An improvement notice is normally used by a UK local authority when a rented home has hazards or serious disrepair that needs fixing, and it sets out work the landlord must do by a deadline. The problem arises when that deadline passes and the tenant can still see the same hazards, but the council’s next step is unclear or slow. This often shows up after the tenant has already reported the issue, allowed access, and waited through at least one round of updates, only to find the notice has “expired” in practice without the work being completed. It can also appear after a partial response where some minor items are done, but the main hazards remain and the landlord argues the notice has been “dealt with”.
It tends to affect tenants who are living with ongoing damp, unsafe electrics, broken heating or hot water, insecure doors or windows, or other conditions that make day-to-day living difficult. By the time the deadline has passed, many tenants have already had repeated visits, sent photos, and tried to keep things cooperative, so the lack of visible action feels like the process has stalled at the worst moment.
Why this happens
The most common reason is that the notice deadline is not the end of the council’s workload; it is the point at which the council can choose to enforce, and enforcement takes time and prioritisation. Landlords sometimes do the minimum to look responsive, then pause once the immediate pressure drops, especially if they think the council is overloaded or unlikely to prosecute. Some landlords also dispute the scope of works, claim contractors are unavailable, or repeatedly rearrange access so the council cannot easily confirm non-compliance.
On the council side, cases can slow down when the original officer is off sick, the file is waiting for a re-inspection slot, or legal services need to review evidence before any formal enforcement step. A typical organisational response pattern is that updates become brief and infrequent unless the tenant keeps asking for a clear decision and a date for the next inspection.
There is also a practical timing issue: councils often want to be confident the landlord has genuinely failed to comply before escalating, and they may allow a short grace period or accept a promise of works if they believe it will resolve the hazard without court action. That can feel like “nothing is happening”, even when the council is quietly building a file.
Your rights or position
In UK renting situations, the strongest practical position comes from keeping the council engaged and making it easy for them to evidence non-compliance. The council is not a private claims service, but it does have enforcement tools, and those tools work best when the tenant can show the hazard is ongoing, access has been offered, and the landlord has not met the notice requirements. Clear, dated photos, a simple timeline, and copies of messages usually make the difference between a quick re-inspection and a case that drifts.
Tenants also have leverage in how they communicate: asking for specific actions and dates tends to get better results than asking for general reassurance. It is reasonable to request confirmation of whether the council considers the notice complied with, whether a re-inspection is booked, and what enforcement route will be used if the works are still outstanding. Where the landlord starts applying pressure, the practical approach is to keep everything in writing and avoid side deals that reduce the council’s ability to act.
If the landlord reacts by threatening eviction or pushing for the tenant to “drop it”, that is a sign to tighten the paper trail and check any eviction notice carefully before responding. The point is not to escalate everything at once, but to keep the council’s enforcement option alive and credible.
Legal or official basis
The official basis is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which is the framework councils use to assess hazards in rented homes and decide what enforcement action is appropriate. In practice, the council inspects, records hazards, and then uses formal notices to require work; if the landlord does not comply, the council can choose further enforcement steps such as arranging works in default or pursuing penalties, depending on the case and local policy. The key practical point is that the council’s decision-making is evidence-led, so the tenant’s role is to help the council confirm the hazard remains and that the notice requirements have not been met.
For the tenant, the most useful part of the system is that it gives the council a structured way to justify action, which means the tenant can ask for clarity on the hazard rating, what “compliance” looks like, and what the next enforcement step will be if the hazard is still present. The council will usually want a re-inspection or other verification before moving on, so offering access and providing up-to-date photos helps keep the case moving. Relevant background on how councils deal with hazards and enforcement sits within GOV.UK guidance.
What evidence matters
Evidence that shows the notice has not been complied with is what matters most, not long explanations. The most persuasive material is simple and dated: photos of the same issue over time, messages offering access, and any contractor no-shows or cancellations. Keep a copy of the improvement notice itself, including schedules of work, dates, and any follow-up letters, because councils sometimes refer to internal case notes that tenants do not see.
Also collect evidence of impact that links directly to the hazard, such as room temperatures, repeated boiler failures, or electrical trips, but keep it factual. If there are health impacts, it is usually enough to record symptoms and dates without trying to prove medical causation in detail at this stage; the council’s focus is the property condition and risk.
What not to do is anything that makes it harder for the council to verify the problem. Avoid altering the issue in a way that could be described as “tenant caused”, and avoid agreeing that the work is “done” just to stop pressure from the landlord.
Useful proof
Keep the evidence in one folder so it can be forwarded quickly when the council asks.
- Copy of the improvement notice and any follow-up emails or letters
- Dated photos or short videos showing the hazard is still present
- Access offers and responses (texts, emails, letters) showing reasonable availability
- Notes of missed appointments, partial works, and what remains outstanding
Common mistakes
These errors often slow enforcement or let the landlord argue the case is unclear.
- Sending lots of messages without attaching the notice, dates, and clear photos
- Letting access become informal and undocumented, so missed visits cannot be evidenced
- Accepting a verbal promise as “compliance” without the council confirming it in writing
One thing not to do yet is to stop paying rent as a way to force action, because that usually creates a separate problem and distracts from enforcement of the notice.
What to do next
Chase the officer
Email the named council officer (or the team inbox on the notice) and ask for three points in writing: whether the council considers the notice complied with, whether a re-inspection is booked, and what enforcement step will be taken if the hazard is still present. Attach the notice, add two or three current photos, and include a short timeline of what has and has not been done since the deadline. Ask for a reply date rather than an open-ended update, because that tends to prompt a clearer response.
Offer clear access
Provide two or three specific time windows for access over the next two weeks and ask the council to confirm which slot is booked for re-inspection. If the landlord controls access for communal areas, copy the landlord or agent into the access offer so there is a record that entry was possible. Keep the tone neutral and focus on verification of the outstanding items listed in the notice.
Use council complaint
If there is no meaningful reply, use the council’s official complaints process rather than informal chasing. The complaints form is normally found on the local authority website under “complaints” or “housing standards/private sector housing”, and it should be used exactly as the council sets out, without creating alternative templates. Prepare the case reference, the notice date and deadline, the last contact date, and a short summary of what remains unsafe, then ask for the case to be reviewed and for a written enforcement decision.
The normal response timeframe for a first-stage council complaint is usually within a few weeks, though it varies by council and workload. If there is no response by the stated deadline, escalate using the same official complaints route to the next stage and request confirmation that the complaint has been logged and allocated. In many UK cases, the issue is usually resolved when a re-inspection is booked promptly and the council sets a firm enforcement timetable that the landlord can see.
Check eviction moves
If the landlord starts talking about eviction after the notice deadline, keep everything in writing and do not assume the paperwork is valid. Where a notice arrives, compare it carefully against the required format and timing before making decisions about moving out or signing anything new; the decision point is whether the landlord is trying to use pressure rather than fixing the hazard. If a Section 21 notice is mentioned or served, use Section 21 notice — is it valid? to decide whether the next step is to challenge validity, negotiate time, or focus on enforcement and safety.
Change the aim
If the council indicates it will not take further action, ask for the decision in writing and the reasons, then shift strategy to what can be controlled: documenting ongoing disrepair, keeping access offers clear, and considering other routes such as formal landlord complaint processes or tenancy-based remedies. The key moment to change approach is when the council confirms it will treat the notice as complied with despite the hazard still being present, because that usually means the evidence needs tightening or the dispute is about scope rather than delay.
Related issues nearby
If the landlord begins turning up unannounced or trying to “check the work” without agreement, that can become a separate problem alongside the outstanding hazards, and it is often used to create pressure or confusion about access. Where this starts happening around the same time as enforcement discussions, the practical next step is to record dates and keep boundaries clear, and the situation may match Landlord entered property without notice. If an eviction notice is threatened while repairs are still outstanding, it can also be relevant to compare the type of notice and the landlord’s likely aim before responding.
FAQ
Notice still ignored
For an improvement notice still ignored after the deadline, send the council a dated photo update and ask for a re-inspection date and an enforcement decision in writing. Keep the request focused on the specific items listed in the notice.
Partial work done
For partial repairs after an improvement notice deadline, list what remains outstanding against the notice schedule and ask the council to confirm whether it counts as compliance. Avoid agreeing it is finished until the council confirms.
Council not replying
For a council not replying about expired improvement notice action, use the council’s official complaints process and include the case reference, deadline, and current photos. Ask for the complaint to be allocated to a senior officer if there is continued silence.
Landlord applying pressure
For landlord pressure after an improvement notice expires, keep communication in writing and do not sign new agreements or accept cash offers without time to check the consequences. Pressure often increases when enforcement becomes more likely.
Before you move on
Put the next contact to the council in writing, attach the notice and current photos, and ask for a dated plan for re-inspection and enforcement so the case cannot drift. Time pressure can show up as being pushed to accept a quick fix or a fast move-out before the hazard is properly dealt with.
Get help with the next step
Contact UKFixGuide — If the improvement notice deadline has passed and the council has gone quiet, share the timeline and what the landlord has (or hasn’t) done so the next escalation can be set out clearly.
