Private sector housing issues
How to tackle a range of issues with privately-owned properties. These issues include anti-social behaviour, rubbish, vermin and pests through to boundary disputes or damage created by trees, hedges, Buddleia and Knotweed.
Please read the FAQs below which tell you what you must do and how we can help. You can also read advice about problems where you live on the Citizens Advice Bureau website.
To report an issue with social housing, please see how to complain to a registered social landlord.
Can the council help with anti-social behaviour?
If anti-social behaviour is causing you distress, you should report it. If you have a complaint about anti-social behaviour from a neighbour’s privately-owned or managed property, we can only investigate if you provide clear evidence that you have already reported it. Find out how to report anti-social behaviour.
If the matter is unresolved, please see the instructions on how to raise a complaint with the private sector housing team at the bottom of this page.
Who is responsible for Buddleia and Knotweed damage?
Property owners must control Buddleia and Knotweed and maintain brickwork, cladding, render and other structures affected by these plants. If a party wall has been damaged, you should seek legal advice.
We will only investigate if Buddleia causes extensive damage to a property and poses a serious threat of harm. See the instructions on how to raise a complaint at the bottom of this page.
How do I report issues with trees and hedges?
The council will only act on trees, plants or hedges on public land and highways, not on privately-owned land.
How do I complain about rainwater flow from another property?
We only investigate complaints about rainwater flowing from one property to another when a recent, obvious change has been made to drainage pipework or yard surfaces.
If you have a complaint about a neighbour’s property, we can only investigate if you provide clear evidence that you already have tried to resolve the dispute yourself. See the instructions on how to raise a complaint at the bottom of this page.
My neighbour feeds or keeps birds – what are my rights?
There is no law that stops people keeping or feeding birds, including wild birds and domestic birds such as chickens.
If the birds cause a nuisance such as an excessive build-up of droppings, this is a private matter between neighbours. Please speak to your neighbour politely or put your concerns to them in writing.
We will only investigate when a large amount of rotting bird food or droppings attract rats or mice. If this is the case, sufficient evidence must be provided. See the instructions on how to raise a complaint at the bottom of this page.
Who can help me resolve an issue with a party wall, fence or boundary?
Party walls are the joint responsibility of the owners of both properties. Find out more about party wall disputes on GOV.UK. If you have a dispute with a neighbour about a wall or fence, please contact Citizens Advice for free advice. If a dispute cannot be resolved amicably you should seek legal advice.
How do I report rubbish, fly-tipping and passage dumping?
The council's online forms allow you to report a range of environmental issues from street cleaning, graffiti, fly-tipping to passage dumping. Please use these forms.
In extreme cases when pests, faeces, or food waste in or around a property poses a risk to health you can raise a separate complaint via our Licensing and Regulations (LAR) system - see the instructions on how to do this at the bottom of this page. You will need to provide clear evidence that you have already tried to address the issue. We cannot take any action if a property or garden is cluttered or untidy.
How do I report pests or vermin in a neighbour’s property?
We can investigate extreme issues when pests, faeces, or food waste in or around a property poses a risk to health. You will need to provide clear evidence that you have already tried to address the issue. See the instructions on how to raise a complaint at the bottom of this page.
My neighbour has left bulky waste items outside their property, what can I do?
We can only investigate extreme issues when bulky waste in or around a property poses a risk to health. You will need to provide clear evidence that you have already tried to address the issue. See the instructions on how to make a complaint at the bottom of this page.
How to make a complaint to us
To raise a complaint with the private sector housing team you must create an account on our Licensing and Regulations (LAR) system.
We will only investigate if you provide clear evidence that you have already tried to resolve the issue yourself. Please attach as much evidence to support your complaint as possible – you can upload videos, photos and diary logs.
Once registered and logged into LAR go to ‘Requests for services or complaints’, then select ‘Submit a request/complaint’.
Register and raise an issue via LAR
Read our privacy notice which tells you how we use your data