How to Write a Letter to the Council About a Housing Decision UK

You have received a housing decision from the council that you believe is wrong, unfair or does not reflect your situation. You want to challenge it. But you are not sure whether you have the right to do so, what to say, or how to say it.

This guide walks you through all of it. It covers the different types of council housing decisions you can challenge, what your legal rights are, how to structure your letter depending on your situation, and what to do if the council does not respond or upholds its decision. There are worked examples throughout and a checklist at the end.

You do not need a solicitor to write this letter. You do need to know what you are challenging, why, and how to say it in a way the council will take seriously.

First: What Type of Housing Decision Are You Challenging?

The approach and your legal rights differ depending on what the decision was about. The most common situations where people write to challenge a council housing decision are:

• A homelessness decision, such as being found not eligible for help, not being accepted as homeless, or being told the council's duty to you has ended

• A housing register or waiting list decision, such as being refused entry to the housing register, being given a lower priority band than expected, or having your application removed

• An offer of accommodation that you believe is unsuitable for your household

• A decision about your current social housing, such as a transfer request being refused or a decision about overcrowding

• A failure to carry out repairs that you have formally requested

Each of these carries different rights and different timescales. Read the section below that applies to your situation before you start writing.

Challenging a Homelessness Decision: Section 202 Review

If you have applied to the council as homeless and you disagree with a decision they have made, you have a statutory right to request a review under Section 202 of the Housing Act 1996. This is one of the strongest rights available in housing law and councils are legally required to carry it out.

Decisions you can request a Section 202 review of include: a decision that you are not eligible for assistance, a decision about what duty is owed to you, a decision that the council's duty to you has ended, a decision about whether accommodation offered to you is suitable, and a decision about a local connection referral to another authority.

Deadline: You have 21 days from the date you were notified of the decision to request a Section 202 review. This is a tight window. Do not wait to get legal advice before sending the review request. Send the request first and seek advice while the review is being carried out. You can add further submissions during the review process.

The review must be carried out by a senior officer who was not involved in the original decision. The council has up to eight weeks to issue its review decision, though you can agree to extend this if the council is considering your case carefully. During the review period you can ask the council to provide interim accommodation while the decision is pending, though they are not obliged to do so.

Shelter’s guidance on requesting a review of a homelessness decision is one of the clearest available explanations of the process and your rights at each stage.

Challenging a Housing Register Decision

If you have been refused entry to the housing register, placed in a lower priority band than you expected, or had your application removed, most councils allow you to request a review of this decision under their own allocation scheme. Unlike homelessness decisions, Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996 does not create an automatic statutory right to review, but councils are required to have an allocations policy and most have an internal review procedure. Check the council’s housing allocation scheme document, which should be publicly available on their website.

Your letter should request a review of the specific decision, state clearly why you believe the decision is wrong, reference any relevant circumstances that were not considered or were considered incorrectly, and include any supporting evidence. If the council cannot clearly explain how the decision was reached within the terms of their own allocation scheme, that is a strong basis for challenge.

Challenging an Unsuitable Accommodation Offer

If you have been made an offer of temporary or permanent accommodation that you believe is unsuitable for your household, you have the right to request a suitability review under Section 202 of the Housing Act 1996. You should accept the offer and request the review at the same time. Do not refuse the offer without taking advice first, as refusing may allow the council to bring its duty to you to an end even if the review has not yet concluded.

Grounds for a suitability challenge include that the property is not the right size for your household, that it is in an area that would cause significant disruption to your children's schooling, medical care or caring responsibilities, that the property itself has serious defects, or that the location creates a risk to your or your family's safety.

Accept the offer and request the review. This is the most important practical point for anyone challenging an accommodation offer. If you refuse the offer outright without a successful review, the council may consider its duty discharged and you could be left without any accommodation. Accept, move in if necessary, and pursue the review in parallel.

How to Structure Your Letter

The structure of your letter matters. A housing officer reading a clearly structured letter can identify the grounds of challenge immediately and route it to the correct review process. A long, emotional letter that does not clearly state what decision is being challenged and on what grounds is harder to act on and easier to delay.

Follow this structure regardless of which type of decision you are challenging.

1. Your Details and Reference

Include your full name, address, contact number and email. Include your housing reference number if you have one. If you are writing about a specific decision letter, include the date and reference number from that letter.

2. A Clear Opening Statement

The first sentence should state exactly what you are requesting and reference the relevant decision. Be direct.

I am writing to request a review of the decision dated 14 February 2026, reference [number], in which I was informed that the council does not owe me the main housing duty. I believe this decision is wrong for the reasons set out below.

3. The Decision You Are Challenging and Why It Is Wrong

State what the decision was. Then explain, as specifically as possible, why you believe it is wrong. Reference the council's own policies, the relevant law, or the facts of your situation that were not properly considered. Do not just say the decision is unfair. Explain what was wrong with how it was reached.

The decision letter states that I am not eligible for the main housing duty on the grounds that I am not in priority need. I have a dependent child aged four who lives with me full time. Under Section 189(1)(b) of the Housing Act 1996, a person who has dependent children residing with them is in priority need. This fact was included in my original application but does not appear to have been considered in the decision.

4. Relevant Circumstances and Evidence

Include any circumstances that are directly relevant to the decision. Medical conditions affecting your housing need, caring responsibilities, risks to your safety, children's school placements and anything else that the council should have considered should be set out clearly. Reference any documents you are attaching, such as medical letters, school records or evidence of your household composition.

5. What You Are Asking For

End with a clear, specific request. State whether you want a review of the decision, a reconsideration of your banding, a different offer of accommodation, or whatever outcome you are seeking. Do not leave this vague.

I request a formal review of this decision under Section 202 of the Housing Act 1996. I ask that the council confirms receipt of this request and provides details of the review process and the officer who will be conducting the review.

6. A Reasonable Response Deadline

Ask for acknowledgement within a specified timeframe, typically five to seven working days, and for the review to be completed within the statutory period. This documents that you are tracking the process.

Full Worked Example: Homelessness Decision Review Letter

Below is a complete example of a Section 202 review request letter. Adapt it to your own circumstances.

[Your full name]

[Your address]

[Your contact number and email]

[Date]

Housing Options Team[Council name and address]

Re: Request for Section 202 Review – Decision dated [date], Reference [number]

Dear Housing Options Team,

I am writing to formally request a review under Section 202 of the Housing Act 1996 of the decision dated [date], reference [number], in which I was informed that [state the decision, e.g. the council does not owe me the main housing duty / I am not in priority need / the accommodation offered is considered suitable].

I believe this decision is wrong for the following reasons:

1. [First ground of challenge: state what was wrong with how the decision was reached, what facts were not considered, or what policy or law the decision conflicts with. Be specific.]

2. [Second ground of challenge if applicable.]

3. [Third ground if applicable.]

In support of this request I am attaching the following documents:

[List each document and briefly state what it shows, e.g. 'Medical letter from Dr [name] dated [date] confirming I have [condition] and require ground floor accommodation due to mobility difficulties.']

I ask that you confirm receipt of this request within five working days and provide details of the officer conducting the review and the expected timescale. I understand the council has eight weeks to issue a review decision, and I am happy to discuss any extension if additional time is needed to consider the matter properly.

Yours sincerely,

[Your full name]

[Signature]

What to Do If Your Review Is Rejected

If the council upholds the original decision after the Section 202 review, you have the right to appeal to the County Court on a point of law under Section 204 of the Housing Act 1996. You must appeal within 21 days of receiving the review decision. This is a legal process and you should seek advice from a housing solicitor or legal aid adviser before proceeding. Shelter’s housing advice service and Citizens Advice can help you find free legal support.

For decisions not covered by Section 202, if the council's own internal review process does not resolve the issue, the next route is a formal complaint through the council's complaints procedure, followed by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if the complaint remains unresolved.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigates whether councils followed their own policies and procedures correctly. They cannot change a housing decision directly, but a finding of maladministration can lead to a reconsideration and sometimes financial redress. You must exhaust the council’s internal complaints process before the Ombudsman will investigate.

Common Mistakes That Weaken Housing Challenge Letters

Not stating which decision you are challenging. Housing departments deal with many cases and many types of decision. If the letter does not clearly reference the specific decision letter, date and reference number, it may not reach the right team or be treated as a formal review request.

Focusing on how you feel rather than what went wrong. A letter that describes your distress and frustration without identifying what the council got wrong gives the reviewing officer nothing to overturn the decision on. The letter needs to say: the decision was wrong because [specific reason]. Your circumstances are the evidence. The error in the decision is the argument.

Missing the deadline without flagging it. If you have missed the 21 day deadline for a Section 202 review, you can still request one and explain the reason for the delay. If the delay was caused by illness, a mental health crisis, caring responsibilities or another good reason, the council may accept a late request. Explain this clearly rather than simply submitting a late request without context.

Refusing an accommodation offer before the review is complete. This is one of the most damaging mistakes in housing challenges. Unless the accommodation poses an immediate risk to safety, accept it and challenge the suitability separately. Do not refuse an offer while waiting for advice unless you have spoken to a solicitor or Shelter first.

Not attaching evidence. A letter asserting that medical circumstances were not considered carries more weight when a medical letter is attached confirming those circumstances. If you are claiming a household composition was wrong, attach proof. Assertions without evidence are easier to dismiss.

Getting Help With Your Letter

Free specialist housing advice is available from Shelter, who run a housing advice helpline and emergency line for people at risk of homelessness. Citizens Advice also provides housing advice and can help you understand your rights before you write. If you may be entitled to legal aid, a housing solicitor can act on your behalf through the review and any subsequent appeal.

If you want professional help ensuring your letter is structured to make the strongest possible case and reaches the right team in the right form, the team at LetterLab specialises in high-stakes correspondence exactly like this. The letter you send now sets the tone for everything that follows.

Checklist: Before You Send Your Housing Challenge Letter

1. Does the letter clearly state which decision you are challenging, including the date and reference number from the decision letter?

2. Have you stated specifically what you believe was wrong with the decision, referencing the relevant law, policy or facts?

3. Have you included all relevant personal circumstances: household composition, medical needs, children's schooling, safety concerns?

4. Have you attached supporting evidence and listed each document in the letter?

5. If challenging a homelessness decision, are you within the 21 day deadline or have you explained a valid reason for any delay?

6. If you have received an accommodation offer, have you accepted it rather than refusing it outright?

7. Have you stated clearly what outcome you are requesting?

8. Have you asked for acknowledgement within a reasonable timeframe?

9. Is the letter addressed to the correct team with your housing reference number included?

10. Have you kept a copy of the letter and all attachments for your own records?

The Key Takeaway: Know Your Right, Use the Right Words, Act Quickly

The most important things when writing a letter to the council about a housing decision are knowing which process applies to your situation, acting within the correct timeframe and being specific about what went wrong and why.

Council housing decisions affect some of the most fundamental aspects of people's lives. The law gives you real rights to challenge decisions that are wrong. A clear, structured letter that engages with the specific decision, the specific error and the specific evidence is how you use those rights effectively.

If the first letter does not resolve the matter, there are further routes available. The worst outcome is not using the rights you have at all.