Leak from ceiling? Keep away from any sagging patch and wet electrics, stop the water if it is your pipe and call your landlord's repairs line. A major leak can be an emergency hazard. In England, your council or housing association must then make your home safe within 24 hours.
Leak from ceiling: what to do first
Water coming through your ceiling can get worse quickly. Do these things in order.
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Keep away from any part of the ceiling that is bulging or sagging. Move everyone out of that room.
Stay clear of wet lights and sockets. If water is near your electrics and you can reach the fuse box safely with dry hands, switch it off. If the fuse box looks wet or damaged, do not touch it.
If the water is coming from pipes in your home, turn off the stopcock. It is often under the kitchen sink.
If the ceiling is not sagging and it is safe to go near, put a bucket under the drip and move your belongings out of the way.
Call your landlord's repairs line, or the emergency number if it is out of hours. Take photos and a short video if it is safe.
Is a sagging ceiling dangerous?
Yes, it can be. Wet plaster is heavy and can fall without warning. Do not push it or stand under it. Keep children and pets out and tell your landlord the ceiling is sagging.
Is a leak from the ceiling an emergency?
It can be. The government's guidance for social landlords lists major leaks among the problems that could be emergency hazards. An emergency hazard is one that could cause immediate harm to health or safety if it is not dealt with within 24 hours.
A fast leak, water near electrics, a ceiling that looks ready to come down or water that means you cannot use your home safely all point that way. A slow drip is less likely to be an emergency, but it still needs reporting, because slow leaks are how damp and mould start.
Your landlord decides how to class it, so say how fast the water is coming, which room it is in and who lives with you.
Why is water coming through my ceiling?
Where the water comes from can decide who fixes it and how fast.
Where is the water coming from?
These are common causes. Your landlord should find the actual one.
The flat above. Water appears when someone upstairs uses the bath, shower or washing machine. Tell your landlord and, if you can, let your neighbour know.
Your own bathroom above. Water below a bath, shower or toilet can mean a failed seal or a leaking waste pipe.
Read more: Water leak claims
The roof or gutters. If the leak comes and goes with the rain, the cause may be outside. Look for a stain that grows after wet weather.
Read more: Damaged roof claims
Pipes or a tank. A steady drip that does not change, or a leak that stops when the stopcock is off, points to the plumbing.
Read more: Water leak claims
Who is responsible for a leak from ceiling?
If you rent from a council or housing association, your landlord usually is. In England, under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord must keep the structure and outside of your home in repair, along with installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation and heating. That covers pipes, tanks, the roof and the ceiling itself.
Their duty usually starts when they know about the problem. For shared parts of a block, it can start straight away. They then have a reasonable time to put it right, so keep proof that you reported it.
Leak from the flat above
Your landlord is still usually responsible for repairing the damage to your ceiling and plaster once they know about it. If the leak came from a repair problem in a flat your landlord also owns, or from a shared pipe, they may also be responsible for your belongings and the disruption.
It is different if a neighbour simply left a bath running. Citizens Advice says the neighbour is then responsible for your damaged belongings, not your landlord.
How long does your landlord have to fix a leak?
It depends on how serious the leak is and who your landlord is. More than one rule can apply.
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Rule | Who it covers | How long |
|---|---|---|
Awaab's Law, emergency hazard | Council and housing association tenants in England | Investigate and make safe within 24 hours |
Right to Repair | Secure and introductory council tenants in England, for listed repairs the council expects to cost £250 or less | 1 working day for a leak from a water pipe, tank or cistern, and 7 working days for a leaking roof |
Awaab's Law, damp and mould | Council and housing association tenants in England | Investigate a significant hazard within 10 working days, then make safe within 5 working days of the investigation ending |
Section 11 | Most council and housing association tenants in England | A reasonable time after your landlord is told |
The legal Right to Repair scheme does not cover housing association tenants, but many housing associations run a similar scheme of their own. Check your landlord's repairs policy.
Making your home safe does not always mean the full repair is finished. Your landlord can use temporary measures first. If they cannot make it safe in time, they must secure suitable alternative accommodation at their own expense.
From 30 November 2026, Awaab's Law Phase 2 also covers electrical hazards and structural collapse where they pose a significant risk. So a leak that has reached your wiring or weakened a ceiling could come under the 10 and 5 working day deadlines too.
Work out your landlord's deadlines
In England. If the leak has caused damp or mould, or is an emergency, pick that and add the date you told them.
Can a leak from ceiling cause mould?
Yes. Wet plaster and timber that stay damp can grow mould, sometimes long after the drip has stopped. Ask your landlord to repair the ceiling, not just the pipe. Our guide on whether black mould is dangerous explains why it is worth acting early, and our page on crumbling plaster claims covers damage left behind.
Spotted any of these on your ceiling?
Who pays for damaged belongings?
It depends on the cause. If the leak happened because your landlord failed to carry out a repair they knew about, you may be able to include your damaged belongings in a claim, depending on your circumstances. If they did not know and could not have known, they may not be responsible.
If you have home contents insurance, tell your insurer. Keep photos, receipts and a list of what was damaged.
What if your landlord will not fix it?
Get a reference number, follow up in writing the same day and log every missed visit. Then use your landlord's complaints process. After that you can go to the Housing Ombudsman in England or the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales in Wales. If your landlord is a housing association, you can also ask your council's environmental health team to look at it.
If you are a secure or introductory council tenant and the first contractor misses a Right to Repair deadline, tell the council you want a different one. If the second contractor misses it too, the council must pay you £10 plus £2 for each extra day, up to £50. It can take off any money you owe it.
Do not stop paying your rent without taking advice first, because arrears can put your home at risk.
Reported a leak and it is still not fixed?
Answer 4 quick questions to see what to do next.
Can you claim for a leak from ceiling?
You may be able to, depending on your circumstances. A claim usually comes down to whether you told your landlord, whether you can show it, whether they had enough time to fix it and whether they failed to do so.
A claim can cover getting the work done, compensation for the time you lived with the problem and belongings that were damaged. See our pages on water leak claims and faulty electrics claims, and our complete guide to housing disrepair claims.
Claims like this are normally funded on a no win no fee basis. There is nothing to pay upfront and no fee to us if your claim does not succeed. If it succeeds, deductions apply, and every deduction is set out in writing before you sign anything. Our no win no fee guide explains how it works.
What about Wales?
The Awaab's Law, Right to Repair and Section 11 rules in this guide apply in England. In Wales, the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 requires your landlord to keep the structure and outside of your home in repair, along with the installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation and heating, and to keep your home fit for human habitation. Since 1 April 2026, the Welsh Housing Quality Standard has also set timescales for social landlords. Where disrepair poses a significant risk, the limits are 24 hours to investigate and a further 24 hours to put it right if harm is likely to be imminent, or otherwise 10 working days and a further 5 working days.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if water is coming through my ceiling?
Keep away from any sagging patch and wet electrics, turn off the stopcock if the leak is from your pipes, put a bucket down if it is safe and call your landlord's repairs line. Take photos and video before anything is cleaned up.
Is a leak from ceiling an emergency?
It can be. Major leaks are listed in government guidance as problems that could be emergency hazards. Tell your landlord how fast the water is coming, whether it is near electrics and who lives in your home.
Who is responsible for a leak from the flat above?
If you rent from a council or housing association, your landlord is usually responsible for repairing the damage to your home once they know about it. If a neighbour was careless, they may be responsible for your belongings.
How long does a council have to fix a leak?
If it is an emergency hazard in England, the council must investigate and make your home safe within 24 hours. Under the Right to Repair, a listed leak from a water pipe, tank or cistern has a limit of 1 working day and a leaking roof 7.
Can a ceiling collapse from a leak?
Yes, it can. Wet plaster gets heavy and can fall without warning. Keep everyone out of the room, do not push it and tell your landlord straight away.
Will my landlord pay for my damaged belongings?
It depends on the cause. If they failed to carry out a repair they knew about, your belongings may form part of a claim, depending on your circumstances. If you have contents insurance, tell your insurer too.
Can a leak cause mould?
Yes. Plaster and timber that stay damp can grow mould, even after the drip has stopped. Ask your landlord to repair the damage, not just the leak.
Still got a leak or a stained ceiling?
Tell us what the problem is and when you reported it. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to pursue repairs and compensation for the time you have lived with it. Free to check, no obligation.
Check if you can claimThis page is general information, not legal advice. Every claim turns on its own facts. Speak to a qualified solicitor about your circumstances. Last checked 5 November 2026.
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