Start by identifying your tenancy type

Your rights flow from the kind of tenancy you hold, so this is the first thing to pin down. Check your tenancy agreement, but remember that a written agreement cannot sign away rights the law gives you.

• Secure tenancy – the usual position for council tenants in England, Wales (before the 2022 reforms) and Northern Ireland. It brings strong rights, including succession, the right to buy in many cases, and protection from eviction without a court order.
• Assured tenancy – typically granted by housing associations in England and Wales. Similarly strong security, though the detailed rights differ.
• Introductory or starter tenancy – usually a 12-month trial period. The landlord can seek possession more easily during this time, provided the correct notice is served.
• Flexible or fixed-term tenancy – a fixed period, often five years, with a review before it ends. Your landlord must follow the terms set out in the agreement if they want to end it.
• In Scotland, most tenants have a Scottish secure tenancy; in Wales, a secure contract or standard contract under the Renting Homes regime.

If you are unsure which applies to you, ask your landlord in writing. They should confirm it in your tenancy agreement or a statement of terms.

Repairs: what your landlord must put right

Your landlord is responsible for keeping the structure and exterior of your home in repair, along with installations for water, gas, electricity, heating, hot water, drainage and sanitation. That includes roofs, walls, gutters, windows and communal areas.

Report repairs in writing – email or your landlord's online portal is best – and keep a dated record with photographs. For damp and mould, landlords are now expected to act within strict timescales once a hazard is identified, following the lead set by Awaab's Law. Emergency repairs, such as a total loss of heating or hot water, should normally be attended within 24 hours.

In England, the Right to Repair scheme covers certain qualifying repairs. Your landlord must complete them within a set deadline, and you may be entitled to compensation if they miss it. The Decent Homes Standard also sets a minimum quality threshold for social homes.

If nothing happens, use your landlord's formal complaints procedure, then escalate to the Housing Ombudsman for England, or the equivalent ombudsman service in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Never withhold rent as a protest – it puts you in arrears and hands your landlord grounds for eviction.

Rent, service charges and increases

Social rents sit below market levels, and increases usually happen only once a year. For most assured and secure tenants, your landlord must give written notice – generally at least one month for monthly tenancies, or four weeks for weekly ones. Check that the notice is valid, and query anything that looks wrong.

Service charges must reflect the actual cost of services and be reasonably incurred. You are entitled to ask for a breakdown, and to challenge charges you believe are unreasonable.

If money is tight, help is available:

• Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.
• A Discretionary Housing Payment from your local council for short-term shortfalls.
• Your landlord's own welfare or money advice team, who can often arrange an affordable repayment plan.

Contact your landlord the moment you fall behind. Social landlords have policies on supporting tenants in arrears, and early conversations usually produce far better outcomes than silence.

Eviction: the protections that matter

If you hold a secure or assured tenancy, your landlord cannot evict you without a legal ground and a court order. Changing the locks, cutting off utilities or pressuring you to leave is unlawful – in serious cases, it is a criminal offence. Report it to your council's tenancy relations officer straight away.

For most grounds, you will receive a formal notice before any court claim. Rent arrears grounds often carry shorter notice periods, but you still get the chance to respond to proceedings. Court action is not automatic eviction: judges can suspend possession orders when a realistic repayment plan is in place.

Get free, independent advice early from a law centre, housing adviser or local advice agency. They can check the notice, help you prepare a defence and speak to your landlord on your behalf.

Getting things changed, and getting help

Beyond repairs complaints, most social landlords offer tenant panels, scrutiny groups and regular satisfaction surveys. Joining one is one of the most effective ways to influence how your estate is managed. If you want to move, ask about mutual exchange schemes, which let tenants swap homes, and about transfers for overcrowding or medical needs.

Eligible secure and assured tenants may also have the right to buy or the right to acquire at a discount. Ask your landlord for details before assuming you qualify.

If you are at risk of losing your home

Contact your council's housing options team as soon as there is a risk, not after the bailiffs arrive. Councils have a legal prevention duty and will draw up a personal housing plan with you. Do not leave your home voluntarily because of an informal request – that can affect the help you are entitled to later. With the right advice and a bit of persistence, most social housing problems can be fixed.