The process for reporting repairs is different if you are a BCP Homes tenant.
Our role is to work with tenants, landlords and letting agents to ensure that privately rented properties in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are safe and free from serious hazards.
If you are worried about the condition of your rented home, you must put this in writing to your landlord or letting agent first. Make sure you keep a copy of the letter, email or text as we will need to see this before accepting your complaint and you will need it for your own records.
It's important that the landlord has had reasonable time to respond. In most cases 2 weeks would be enough time to allow a landlord to respond. If you do not receive a response, you can report it to our Private Sector Housing Team.
How to complain
Use our online form to report poor housing conditions in private rented accommodation to us.
You must provide a copy of your written report to your landlord or agent as well as photographs of reported hazards if you can. Failure to do so could delay your complaint.
What happens next
We will write to your landlord or letting agent to let them know we have received a complaint about their property and raise the issues with them. We would usually give them 21 days to reply to our letter and to provide details of what works they will carry out.
Where required, checks will be made and we may also discuss the matter verbally with your landlord with the aim of them investigating and addressing your concerns without the need for our intervention.
If we do not receive a response or if we feel the response will not address the complaint, an inspection and assessment in accordance with part 1 of the Housing Act 2004, Housing Health and Safety Rating Systems may be carried out.
You will need to cooperate with your landlord or agent when they are attempting to address the matters we have brought to their attention. In some situations, the concerns you raise may fall outside our enforcement role, so we have limited or no powers to investigate further.
Enforcement
We have enforcement powers available to ensure that private rented properties are safe and free from serious hazards.
Where necessary, we may issue formal enforcement notices requiring your landlord to carry out the necessary works. Failure to comply with this notice could lead to fines or prosecution.