Ealing’s new council housing repairs centre: what changes for tenants

What should an Ealing council tenant do when something goes wrong in their home? The way repairs are reported has not changed. Tenants can continue to use the council’s online form or call 020 8825 9998 and choose option 4. What has changed is the process that begins after the report is received.

Ealing Council launched a new housing repairs diagnostic centre over the summer. Details appear in the autumn edition of Around Ealing Homes, published on 16 September. The team’s role is to diagnose the problem more accurately at the first point of contact, schedule the work and send the right contractor with the correct tools and materials.

For tenants, the practical aim is straightforward: fewer visits where a fault is assessed but cannot be fixed until another appointment. The council says the centre will manage an issue from the initial report through to completion. It will work with contractors, planners and other teams to establish what is needed before somebody arrives.

A dedicated duty surveyor is also based in the call centre. That person can assist with more complex repairs that cannot be categorised safely from a short description. The new system does not mean every fault will be resolved in a single visit. Some jobs may still require further inspection, a specialist contractor or parts that must be ordered. The stated aim is to reduce avoidable return visits, not to guarantee an immediate repair in every case.

When reporting a problem, tenants can help by giving precise information: where the fault is located, when it started, whether it is causing a leak, loss of heating or a safety risk, and whether a previous repair has been attempted. A clear description may help the centre choose the contractor and equipment. Tenants should also keep their report reference so they can follow progress or raise the issue again if necessary.

The service operates at a substantial scale. In its report to tenants, the council says 25,485 repairs were completed in 2025–26, with 24,271 finished within the target time. That is 95.2 per cent. At the same time, tenant satisfaction with repairs was 62.5 per cent, while satisfaction with the time taken was 63.6 per cent. Those figures help explain why improving the diagnosis of the first call may matter even when formal completion targets are usually met.

The diagnostic centre is for tenants in council homes managed by Ealing Council. It does not change the arrangements for private renters, who should continue to report faults to their landlord or managing agent. Council tenants can use ealing.gov.uk/report-repair or the council phone number. If the problem presents an immediate risk, they should make its urgent nature clear when reporting it. The centre also does not replace planned improvement work or larger refurbishment programmes. Its role begins with a day-to-day repair report and is intended to improve the decision about who should attend and what equipment they need. If an appointment deadline passes or the fault returns after a visit, the tenant should quote the earlier case reference and explain what work was carried out. That helps distinguish a new fault from the continuation of an unresolved problem.