Who Bernicia is.
North East housing association managing around 14,000 homes including significant stock in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear.
Type: Housing Association
Repairs reporting phone: 0344 800 3800
How to report repairs to Bernicia.
Reporting repairs through the correct channel — and keeping a record of when you did — is the first step. Bernicia accepts repair reports by:
- Phone on 0344 800 3800
- Their tenant portal or app (varies by landlord)
- Email to their repairs team
- In writing to their registered office
Always keep a written record. If you report by phone, follow it up with an email the same day ("Just confirming I called today about the mould in the bedroom …"). If you use the app, screenshot the reference number. If it's an emergency, state clearly that it's an emergency.
Common complaints we see from Bernicia tenants.
In our experience, the most common claims we handle against Bernicia are:
- Damp and mould — especially where repeated reports have been logged
- Persistent leaks that have been patched but return
- Broken heating and boilers left unrepaired during winter
- Electrical faults where a qualified electrician wasn't sent out promptly
- Pest infestations that were treated superficially without addressing the structural cause
- Rotting windows and doors letting in cold and damp
Recent Housing Ombudsman findings.
The Housing Ombudsman Service publishes determinations on its website. We track findings against Bernicia so we can properly advise our clients. Where the Ombudsman has made findings of maladministration against a landlord in similar circumstances, it strengthens your claim materially.
Before publishing specific determinations here, we verify them from the Ombudsman's public register. If you want to know whether similar findings have been made in your case, call us — we'll check.
What you can claim if Bernicia hasn't acted.
If Bernicia has failed to act on reported disrepair within a reasonable time, you can claim:
- A rent-based award — typically 25%–50% of rent paid during the period of disrepair
- The cost of damaged belongings (furniture, clothes, electricals, bedding)
- Personal injury compensation where health has been affected
- Extra costs — higher heating bills, replacement purchases, dehumidifiers
- General damages for distress, inconvenience and loss of enjoyment of your home
- A court order forcing Bernicia to complete the repairs
See our full compensation guide →
Starting a claim against Bernicia.
The process is straightforward:
- Call us or fill in the form — free, no obligation.
- If you have a case, we sign you up on a no win, no fee basis.
- We instruct an independent RICS surveyor to inspect your home.
- We send Bernicia a Letter of Claim under the Pre-Action Protocol.
- The landlord investigates and responds.
- We negotiate settlement — most cases settle within 6–12 months.
Frequently asked questions.
Can Bernicia evict me for claiming?
No. It is unlawful for a social landlord to evict you for making a disrepair claim. See our eviction page for detail.
How long does a claim against Bernicia take?
Most claims settle within 6 to 12 months. Bernicia generally responds to Letters of Claim within the required 20 working days.
What if I have rent arrears with Bernicia?
You can still claim. Rent arrears may be set off against your compensation but they do not stop the claim. See our rent arrears guide.
Do I need evidence of every report I made to Bernicia?
Not every one — landlords must disclose their repair logs as part of the Pre-Action Protocol. Any written records you do have strengthen the case. See our evidence guide.