Twelve inorganic–organic hybrids have been synthesized and characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. The inorganic component is based on lead(II) bromide and lead(II) chloride units and the organic component on various cyclic hydrocarbons, each with only a primary ammonium group as a ring substituent. When the organic component is cyclopropylammonium, cyclobutylammonium, cyclopentylammonium and cyclohexylammonium, the inorganic motif observed is based on the cubic perovskite structure type and consists of 2-D layers of corner-sharing octahedra, in the ratio of 1 : 2 inorganic–organic. Lead(II) bromide and cycloheptylammonium combined to give 1-D chains of corner-sharing PbBr₆ octahedra and similarly, lead(II) bromide and cyclooctylammonium gave 1-D ribbons of corner-sharing PbBr₆ octahedra. Lead(II) chloride and cycloheptylammonium have a ribbon motif, and lead(II) chloride and cyclooctylammonium have 2-D layers of corner-, edge- and face-sharing octahedra. These results are compared with a similar study involving lead(II) iodide units and the same set of six cations. General trends and conclusions are discussed.