A plain-English guide to Chichester landlords’ roof repair duties: Landlord & Tenant Act s.11, the Homes (Fitness) Act 2018, and where Awaab’s Law stands for private rentals in 2026.
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📞 Call Now: 01243 278085Chichester landlords must keep the roof and exterior in repair under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and keep the property fit to live in under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. Awaab’s Law does not yet apply to private rentals as of 2026.
The foundation of every Chichester landlord’s repairing responsibility is Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. It implies into virtually every residential tenancy a duty on the landlord to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling — and the roof is the single most important part of that exterior. You cannot contract out of it, and it applies regardless of what the tenancy agreement says.
In practice this means that when a roof leaks, a tile slips, or a gutter fails and causes damp, the responsibility to put it right sits with you as landlord, not the tenant. The duty is to repair within a reasonable time of becoming aware of the defect — which is why prompt, documented response to a tenant-reported problem matters so much.
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 went further. It requires that a rented property is fit for human habitation not just at the start of the tenancy but throughout it. A roof defect that lets in water, causes damp, or promotes mould can render a property unfit — and the Act gives tenants a direct route to take the landlord to court where it does.
For a Chichester landlord this raises the stakes on roof maintenance. A persistent leak that produces damp and mould is no longer just a repair issue; it is potentially a fitness-for-habitation breach, with the tenant able to seek a court order compelling the works and, in some cases, compensation.
Awaab’s Law — named after Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old who died from prolonged mould exposure in social housing — introduced strict statutory timescales for social landlords to investigate and fix damp, mould and emergency hazards. It came into force for social housing on 27 October 2025.
It is important to be accurate about the private-rented position, because there is a lot of loose commentary. As of 2026, Awaab’s Law does not yet apply to private landlords. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in October 2025 and whose first phase commenced on 1 May 2026, contains the legal power to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector — but that extension sits in a later phase of the roadmap, requires separate regulations and a government consultation, and has no confirmed commencement date. Commentators suggest 2027 at the earliest.
The practical message for Chichester landlords is this: you are not yet bound by Awaab’s Law timescales, but the direction of travel is unmistakable, and the underlying duties under Section 11 and the 2018 Act already require you to act on damp and mould. Preparing now — keeping roofs sound, responding promptly, documenting everything — is simply good practice that also gets you ready for what is coming.
The common thread across all three pieces of law is timely response. When a tenant reports a leak or damp, the clock starts. A landlord who arranges a prompt inspection and repair, and keeps a record of doing so, is meeting their duty. One who lets it drift is exposed under Section 11 and the 2018 Act now, and will be under Awaab’s Law when it arrives.
Dated photographs, written reports of what was found and done, and itemised invoices are your evidence of compliance. If a dispute ever reaches a court or the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman, the landlord who can show a documented, prompt response is in a completely different position from one who cannot. Every job we do for a Chichester landlord comes with this documentation as standard.
The cheapest way to meet these duties is to stop defects becoming disrepair. An annual roof and gutter check on a rental property — particularly on the older Chichester stock, the Victorian terraces of St Pancras and Whyke or the post-war estates of Portfield — catches the slipped tile or blocked valley before it becomes the leak, the damp, and the complaint.
Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords must keep the structure and exterior in repair; the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires fitness throughout the tenancy; and the extension of Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has no confirmed commencement date as of 2026.
— Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 s.11, Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, Renters’ Rights Act 2025
No. As of 2026, Awaab’s Law applies only to social housing (in force since 27 October 2025). The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 contains the power to extend it to private rentals, but that sits in a later phase of the roadmap with no confirmed date — likely 2027 at the earliest, following a consultation. Your existing duties under Section 11 and the 2018 Act still apply now.
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires landlords to keep the structure and exterior — including the roof — in repair, and to act within a reasonable time of becoming aware of a defect. It applies to virtually every residential tenancy and cannot be contracted out of.
Yes. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, a roof defect causing damp or mould can render a property unfit for habitation, giving the tenant a direct route to court to compel repairs and potentially claim compensation.
The landlord, under Section 11. The duty to repair the structure and exterior sits with the landlord regardless of the tenancy agreement wording. The tenant’s duty is to report the problem promptly and allow access.
Within a reasonable time of becoming aware of it. What is reasonable depends on severity — an active leak causing damage is urgent, a minor defect less so. When Awaab’s Law extends to the PRS it will set fixed statutory timescales, but until then the test is reasonableness.
Keep dated photographs, written reports of what was found and done, and itemised invoices. This documentation demonstrates a prompt, compliant response and protects you if a tenant raises a disrepair or fitness complaint. We provide it as standard on all landlord work.
Yes. An annual roof and gutter check catches problems before they become disrepair, which is cheaper than reactive repair and demonstrates the proactive management that protects you under all three pieces of legislation.
Last reviewed: 20 August 2026
Compliance is easiest when it is built into your letting routine rather than bolted on after a complaint. Before a new tenant moves in, a roof and gutter check confirms the property starts the tenancy sound and gives you a dated baseline record. If a problem is later reported, you can show the roof’s condition at the outset — invaluable if a dispute ever turns on when a defect arose. On the older Chichester stock, the Victorian terraces and post-war estates where problems are more likely, this start-of-tenancy check is the single most useful habit a landlord can adopt.
The moment a tenant reports a leak or damp, note the date and act. Arrange an inspection promptly, keep the tenant informed of what is happening and when, and carry out the repair without letting it drift. This is the exact sequence the courts look for under Section 11, and the exact sequence Awaab’s Law will formalise with fixed timescales when it reaches the private sector. A landlord who responds fast and documents it is protected; one who goes quiet is exposed. Speed also keeps a small repair from becoming a damaged ceiling and a bigger bill.
Every interaction and every job should leave a record: the tenant’s report, your response, the inspection findings, the work carried out, and dated before-and-after photographs. Store it against the property so that if a complaint reaches the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman or a court, you can produce a complete, professional history in minutes. We provide this documentation as standard on every job we do for Chichester landlords, precisely because we know it is what protects you.
A rental roof is a depreciating asset with a finite life, and treating it as one avoids the nasty surprise. Knowing roughly where your roof sits in its lifespan — and setting aside for the eventual re-roof — turns a five-figure emergency into a planned expense. A condition survey gives you that timeline, so you can budget across your portfolio rather than being forced into an unplanned outlay the moment a tired roof finally fails mid-tenancy.