Report a repair

If you're a Winchester City Council tenant and something in your home needs fixing, please report it straight away.

We'll assess how urgent it is, arrange the repair, and tell you what will happen next.

How to report a repair

The best way to report a repair is by telephone - call us on 01962 848 400 and press 1 for repairs. If your repair is an emergency, you can call this number at any time.

If you're not able to use a phone for any reason, you can also email hhub@winchester.gov.uk - please don't email us for emergency repairs.

You can also visit the council offices on Monday to Friday between 10am and 3pm.

Please note that, as of 1 August 2026, you can no longer report repairs using our online form our Your Winchester app.

If you need an emergency repair outside office hours, call our Out of Hours Emergency Line on 01962 865 405.

From 1 August 2026,our Responsive Repairs and Empty Homes services will be provided by Wates Property Services.

This means:

• You can continue to report repairs using the same telephone number - your call will be transferred directly to the relevant repair team.
• Unless we contact you, appointments already booked will go ahead as planned.
• We remain responsible for the service and the outcome of your repair.

Wates Property Service operatives will be wearing branded clothing, carry official ID badges, and will normally arrive in a Wates-branded vehicle. We remain responsible

If you have any concerns or would like to verify an engineer’s visit, please call us on 01962 828 400 before allowing them access.

On this page 

— Reporting and appointments 

— Emergency repairs 

— Out-of-hours emergencies 

— Repair priorities and timescales 

— Damp, mould and other hazards 

— Gas leaks, power cuts and immediate danger 

— What happens during a repair visit 

— Your repair responsibilities 

— Recharges 

— Complaints and concerns 

Reporting and appointments

From 1 August 2026, the standard appointment times are: 

For routine work, an appointment should normally be available within three working days of the repair being raised. The date the repair is completed will depend on its priority and the work required. 

Where possible, we will: 

• Confirm your appointment. 

• Send a reminder around 24 hours before the appointment. 

• Contact you around 30 minutes before the operative arrives. 

• Tell you promptly if there is a delay or the appointment needs to change. 

• Give you a new date for any follow-on work. 

Please tell us if you need a reasonable adjustment, a particular communication method or help arranging access. 

If you can no longer make an appointment, contact us as early as possible so it can be rearranged. 

Operatives will not enter or continue working where a child under 16 is alone in the home. 

Emergency repairs 

An emergency repair is a problem that needs immediate action because there is a serious risk to life, health, safety, security or the property. 

During normal service hours, for emergency repairs, we will: 

• Attend within two hours. 

• Make the situation safe as soon as reasonably possible and no later than 24 hours. 

We may need to complete a permanent repair at a later appointment after the immediate danger has been controlled. 

Examples of emergency repairs include things like: 

• A serious water leak or internal flooding that you can't contain. 

• A total loss of water where the water supplier is not responsible. 

• A total loss of electricity where there is not a general power cut. 

• A blocked toilet where it is the only toilet in the home. 

• An external door or window that is insecure and creates a serious security risk. 

• Dangerous electrical wiring or fittings. 

• Serious structural damage, falling masonry or an unsafe ceiling or floor. 

• A blocked flue or suspected serious heating or combustion risk. 

• A lift, stairlift or hoist failure that creates an immediate safety or access risk. 

• A major health and safety problem in a communal area. 

• A total loss of heating or hot water where the weather, health needs or household circumstances create a serious risk. 

This list is not exhaustive - we may treat other problems as an emergency if we assess it as posing a risk.

Out-of-hours emergency repairs 

The out-of-hours emergency service operates: 

• From 4.30pm to 8am on weekdays. 

• All day at weekends. 

• All day on bank holidays. 

Call 01962 848 400 and press 1 for repairs. 

For an out-of-hours emergency, we'll attend and make the situation safe within two hours. Any permanent follow-on repair will be arranged under the appropriate priority. 

Please only use the out-of-hours service for genuine emergencies. 

We won't charge you simply because you reasonably believed there was an emergency or reported a safety concern in good faith. We will only consider a recharge where evidence shows that an emergency call was knowingly misrepresented or was not genuine. 

Repair priorities and timescales 

Please note that these are maximum timescales, not waiting periods. We'll act sooner where the risk, potential damage, vulnerability or household circumstances require it. 

If your repair can't be completed on the first visit because it needs specialist work, materials, consent or further investigation, we'll explain what happens next and give you a revised date. 

Some larger repairs may need to be included in a planned programme. If this happens, we'll explain why and tell you how the work will be managed. 

Damp, mould and other hazards 

Make sure to report damp, mould, leaks or another potential safety hazard as soon as possible by calling 01962 848 400 and pressing 1 for repairs. 

Tell us: 

• Where the problem is. 

• How serious it appears to be. 

• Whether it is getting worse. 

• How it is affecting you or other members of your household. 

• Whether anyone has a health condition, disability or other vulnerability. 

• Whether children, an older person or a pregnant person lives in the home. 

• Whether there is any immediate danger or damage. 

We'll investigate the cause and won't assume that damp or mould has been caused by your lifestyle. 

Awaab’s Law 

Awaab’s Law sets maximum timescales for dealing with serious hazards in social housing. 

If your home can't be made safe within the required timeframe, we'll arrange suitable alternative accommodation until the necessary safety work has been completed. 

Temporary safety work doesn't remove our responsibility to address the underlying cause or complete any necessary follow-on work. 

Read the government’s Awaab’s Law guidance for social housing tenants. 

Gas leaks, power cuts and immediate danger 

If you smell gas or suspect a carbon monoxide leak:

• Call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. 

• Do not use electrical switches or naked flames. 

• Do not wait to report the matter through the normal repairs service. 

If there is a power cut 

• Call 105 to contact your electricity network operator. 

If there is an immediate threat to life 

• Call 999 before contacting the repairs service. 

In cold weather, a frozen boiler condensate pipe may stop your boiler working. Follow our frozen pipe advice ^{(pdf, 299kb)} only where it is safe to do so. 

What happens during a repair visit 

During a repair visit, operatives and contractors must: 

• Introduce themselves and show photographic identification. 

• Explain the work they have come to complete. 

• Treat you, your home and your belongings with respect. 

• Use appropriate protection for floors and working areas. 

• Keep tools, equipment and hazardous materials secure. 

• Keep you informed about progress or unexpected problems. 

• Leave the work area clean, safe and secure. 

• Explain what has been completed and any follow-on work required. 

• Give you the next appointment or expected completion date where further work is needed. 

Operatives must report any serious concerns they notice, including damp, mould, leaks, exposed wiring, unsafe property conditions or adult or child welfare concerns. 

Your repair responsibilities 

We carry out repairs for which we're responsible. You are normally responsible for: 

• Replacing standard light bulbs. 

• Replacing lost keys or arranging access if you lock yourself out. 

• Looking after and safely maintaining your own appliances. 

• Arranging for your cooker or other appliance to be installed by an appropriately qualified person. 

• Cleaning shower heads and shower curtains. 

• Maintaining your own television aerial or satellite equipment where it is not part of a Council communal system. 

• Maintaining fixtures, fittings or alterations that you have installed. 

• Keeping your home reasonably clean and in good condition. 

• Maintaining your garden where this is your responsibility. 

• Reporting repairs, leaks, damp and mould promptly. 

• Providing reasonable access for repairs and safety checks. 

• Taking reasonable care to avoid deliberate or avoidable damage. 

You must obtain written permission before making alterations or improvements to your home. 

We'll investigate damp and mould and consider the condition of the property and your household’s circumstances. Your responsibility to use heating and ventilation controls where reasonably possible does not replace our responsibility to investigate and address causes for which we are responsible. 

Recharges 

You may be recharged where we have to carry out work because of: 

• Deliberate or avoidable damage. 

• Neglect or misuse. 

• An unauthorised alteration. 

• A repair that is your responsibility. 

• Replacement keys or an avoidable lockout. 

• Clearance, cleaning or reinstatement required at the end of a tenancy. 

• An emergency call that was knowingly misrepresented or was not genuine. 

Recharges are not automatic, and we will consider the evidence, responsibility, proportionality, vulnerability and your individual circumstances. Where there is a recharge, we'll explain the decision, how the charge was calculated and how you can challenge or appeal it. 

You're responsible for protecting your personal belongings and we strongly encourage you to obtain suitable home contents insurance. 

What you can expect from us 

We will: 

• Put safety first. 

• Consider your household’s needs and circumstances. 

• Make reasonable adjustments where required. 

• Aim to complete the repair correctly on the first visit. 

• Keep you informed about appointments, delays and follow-on work. 

• Use competent staff and contractors. 

• Inspect work and monitor quality. 

• Learn from complaints, recalls and resident feedback. 

• Remain responsible for the service when work is delivered by a contractor. 

Complaints and concerns 

If you're unhappy with the service, communication, work completed, delay or outcome, you can make a complaint: 

• Using our online complaints form. 

• By emailing customerservice@winchester.gov.uk. 

• By calling 01962 848 400. 

• In writing to Winchester City Council, Colebrook Street, Winchester, SO23 9LJ. 

• By speaking to a Council officer. 

Making a complaint will not stop necessary repairs or safety work. 

If you're still not satisfied after going through our complaints process, you can contact the Housing Ombudsman. 

Last Updated: Monday 3 August 2026