Council housing (Portsmouth Homes) and homelessness
Examples: Repair not done, Damp and mould, About to lose my home, Housing register.
If someone is in danger or it can't wait:
What do you need?
Pick one — each answer below says where to start and where to go next.
I want to report a problem or apply for something
Start here
Portsmouth City Council — Portsmouth Homes customer repairs team
Report a repair to your Portsmouth Homes property → · 023 9284 1311
If that link doesn't open, start from this page.
Why them: The council is the landlord for Portsmouth Homes tenants and leaseholders.
- Carry out landlord repairs to published timescales
- Survey damp and mould
- Attend non-emergency repairs out of hours (a call-out fee may be charged)
How long it should take: Emergency repairs: response within 24 hours. Urgent: within 3 working days. Routine: completed within 20 working days. Damp and mould surveys attended within 10 working days.
- Portsmouth Homes landlord complaints — If a repair is not done — a complaint is different from a service request
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
Also useful
Portsmouth City Council — Housing Needs Advice and Support team
Ask for help if you are homeless or at risk of losing your home → · 023 9283 4989
Why them: The council holds the statutory homelessness duties; the earlier you contact it, the more it can do.
- Assess your situation and make a housing plan
- Check priority need and whether temporary housing is owed
- Negotiate with family or landlord; offer money support
- Always find you somewhere straight away — duties depend on vulnerability and why you became homeless
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
I want to challenge a decision that has been made about me
Start here
Portsmouth City Council — homelessness and housing decision review
Request a review of a homelessness or housing application decision →
Why them: A statutory review by the council is the required first step before any court appeal.
- Reconsider the decision with new information
- Accept requests after 21 days from the decision, unless there were exceptional reasons
How long it should take: Request within 21 days of the decision. The guidance also states a county court appeal on a point of law must be made within 21 days of the review decision.
- County court (point of law) — After the review decision; the guidance recommends getting legal advice first
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
Also useful
Advice Portsmouth
Get free, independent advice (PO1–PO6 residents) → · 023 9279 4340
Why them: The council itself signposts Advice Portsmouth for independent housing, benefits, debt and employment advice.
- General and specialist advice on social welfare, debt, benefits, employment, housing, family and consumer law
- Serve residents outside the PO1–PO6 areas it states it covers
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
I need someone to help me with my case
Start here
Portsmouth Homes housing complaints team
Ask for help making a housing complaint, including translation or using a representative → · 023 9260 6383
Why them: The landlord complaints team offers practical help, and the Housing Ombudsman can advise at any point.
- Help you make a complaint
- Translate letters
- Deal with a representative (family, councillor, attorney)
- Act independently of the landlord — for independent advice use the Housing Ombudsman (0300 111 3000)
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
Also useful
Your ward councillors (3 per ward, 14 wards)
Ask your ward councillor to take up your case or raise it with the council →
Why them: Councillors do ward casework and set council policy and budget, so they can chase officers on a council matter and raise patterns with the relevant Cabinet member or a scrutiny panel.
- Raise your case with council officers and ask for an explanation
- Act as your representative in a council complaint (with your consent)
- Raise an issue with the relevant executive (Cabinet) member or ask a scrutiny committee to look at it
- Instruct officers to overturn a decision taken under a statutory process
- Decide matters that belong to another body (NHS, police, water companies, government departments)
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
I want to change how things are done, not just fix my case
Start here
Your ward councillors (3 per ward, 14 wards)
Ask your ward councillor to take up your case or raise it with the council →
Why them: Councillors do ward casework and set council policy and budget, so they can chase officers on a council matter and raise patterns with the relevant Cabinet member or a scrutiny panel.
- Raise your case with council officers and ask for an explanation
- Act as your representative in a council complaint (with your consent)
- Raise an issue with the relevant executive (Cabinet) member or ask a scrutiny committee to look at it
- Instruct officers to overturn a decision taken under a statutory process
- Decide matters that belong to another body (NHS, police, water companies, government departments)
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
Also useful
Your MP (Portsmouth North or Portsmouth South)
Ask your MP to raise national law or funding with ministers →
Why them: Only Parliament and government can change national law and national funding formulas; the MP's role is to scrutinise ministers and make representations.
- Write to or question ministers
- Raise the issue in Parliament
- Make representations on your behalf to UK government departments
- Direct council officers or decide council spending
- Overturn a court, tribunal or council decision
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
I have complained and it has not been put right
Start here
Housing Ombudsman Service
Bring your Portsmouth Homes landlord complaint to the Housing Ombudsman → · 0300 111 3000
Why them: It handles complaints about social landlords, including the council in its role as landlord.
- Investigate repairs, charges, estate management, ASB handling and complaint handling
- Advise at any point, before the landlord process ends
- Investigate homelessness or allocations decisions — those go to the LGSCO
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
Also useful
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
Complain to the LGSCO about homelessness, allocations or Housing Benefit handling →
Why them: It is the independent, free final step for complaints about council services, adult social care and most council housing functions other than social housing.
- Investigate fault in how the council acted and whether it caused you injustice
- Recommend apologies, payments or changes to council procedures
- Look at your complaint before the council has had the chance to resolve it
- Overturn a decision the council made properly just because you disagree with it
- Investigate issues that carry their own right of appeal to a tribunal
Checked 23 September 2026 · source
Your councillors and MP
Useful if the route above has failed, or it's about local policy. Optional: we look up your postcode once and never store it.
Good to know
This tells you where to start and what comes next. It is not legal advice. Time limits shown are the ones each body publishes; always check your own decision letter, which may give a different deadline.