Maintenance and Repair Request Forms: A Landlord's Guide | LegalDocuments.co.uk

What this document is

A maintenance and repair request form is a simple document a tenant fills in (on paper, by email, or through an online portal) to formally notify their landlord or letting agent of a repair that needs attention. It is not a legally required document in itself, but it does something important: it creates a dated, written record of when a defect was reported.

That record matters because a landlord's repair obligations under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 are generally triggered once the landlord has been given notice of a problem. Without a clear paper trail, disputes can quickly turn into one person's word against another's.

A good form typically captures tenant and property details, a description of the issue, how urgent it is, access arrangements for any contractor visit, and space for photos. Used consistently, it helps landlords prioritise work, stay on top of statutory duties, and show due diligence if a complaint is ever made to a local authority or the courts.

How to use this document

1. Set up a standard form and share it with every tenant. Create a single template that all tenants use for reporting repairs, whether you manage one property or a portfolio. Include it in your welcome pack at the start of the tenancy, and explain clearly how to submit it, by email, through an online system, or on paper, so that no tenant can reasonably say they did not know how to report a problem.
2. Capture the right information on the form itself. The form should ask for the tenant's name and contact details, the property address and unit, a clear description of the fault, when it started, the urgency, photographs where possible, and preferred times for contractor access. Gathering this up front saves a second round of back-and-forth and lets you brief a tradesperson properly the first time.
3. Log, acknowledge and triage each request promptly. When a form comes in, record it with a date stamp and send the tenant a short acknowledgement confirming you have received it. Decide whether the issue is emergency (e.g. a gas leak, serious water ingress, total loss of heating in winter), urgent, or routine, and respond on a timescale that reflects that. Keeping this audit trail is invaluable if things later escalate.
4. Arrange access and carry out the repair within a reasonable time. Agree a date with the tenant that respects their right to quiet enjoyment, and give at least 24 hours' written notice before entering, as required under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Use a competent contractor, keep invoices and certificates (particularly for gas and electrical work), and confirm in writing once the job is complete.
5. Review, follow up and keep records for the long term. After the repair, check with the tenant that the fix has held, and close the request off in your records. Keep the form, correspondence, invoices and any safety certificates for the duration of the tenancy and for a sensible period afterwards, these records can be critical evidence in deposit disputes, disrepair claims, or council improvement notices.

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