Tenants and repairs

Use this guide to help you understand your repairs responsibilities as a tenant.

Your responsibilities

As a resident, you have responsibilities to keep your home in a good condition.

You must:

  • keep your home and garden clean and in good decorative order by carrying out minor repairs to your home
  • report repairs which we are responsible for in good time and help us monitor the standard of work
  • provide a safe and clean working environment for our repair contractors and allow them enough time to carry out the repair
  • give us access to your property to carry out repairs, gas servicing, annual safety checks and any inspections that are necessary
  • take action to prevent drains and waste pipes becoming blocked
  • take reasonable action to prevent and control condensation when possible
  • let us know about any damaged materials that may contain asbestos
  • get written permission from your local area office to alter or make improvements to your home or carry out electrical works
  • make sure that no-one who lives in or visits your home causes any damage

You're responsible for replacing:

  • batteries in smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms
  • broken toilet seats
  • broken toilet chains
  • fuses
  • light bulbs
  • sink taps

If you do not carry out a repair that is your responsibility, that puts your health and safety at risk. We will carry out the repair and recharge you for the cost of the work.

For more details about your responsibility for repairs, and advice on maintaining your home, see our repairs manual.

Download the Lambeth Repairs Manual 2023 for tenants (PDF 1.54 MB)

Discretionary repairs

In some situations, we may take on repairs that aren't normally our responsibility, for tenants who are elderly, disabled or vulnerable. We assess each request for a discretionary repair on its own merit.