Housing Disrepair

  • Are you a tenant living in rented property? 
  • Has the property fallen into disrepair which has caused damage to your health or belongings?
Then you may have a disrepair claim against your landlord. 

For FREE housing disrepair claims advice, call our team at 0800-368-7382 for an appointment 

FILE YOUR CLAIM NOW!
Please note that you can make a claim directly to your Lender and/or the Financial Ombudsman Service without using the services of our firm and without incurring a fee.

WHAT IS HOUSING DISREPAIR?

Housing disrepair is the state of houses being broken or old and needing to be repaired. It is not limited to damages needing physical repair but also includes anything that poses a threat to the general welfare and well-being of a person.
WHAT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS HOUSING DISREPAIR?
Housing disrepair includes: 
  • Faulty heating system
  • Broken guttering, downpipes or drainage
  • Faulty gas, electricity or water supply
  • Faulty toilet, bath, shower, or sinks
  • Damp issues
  • Unsafe flooring and staircase
  • Damaged brickwork resulting in leaks
  • Vegetation growth

When to Claim Compensation

Legal action can be taken to claim compensation during your tenancy or when it ends.
Starting from the time your landlord should have carried out repairs to your property, you have up to 6 years (or 3 years for a personal injury claim)
If your claim starts during your tenancy, you can ask the court to order your landlord to do repair work.

Tenant-Landlord Scope of Responsibilities

A diagram showing the steps of a project
A yellow triangle with an exclamation point inside of it

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Ensure you keep records about the disrepair problem in your home to support your compensation claim. Such records could include:
  • Pictures of the repair problem
  • Letters or emails sent to and from your landlord about the repair
  • Medical records showing the damage to your health 
  • Receipts for replacements of damaged or destroyed items
  • A report from the council’s environmental health team
Please note that legal action cannot be taken for compensation unless the repair problem is reported to your landlord during your tenancy.
Our Fees
  • INGRAM TOFT will take 25% + VAT* (at the prevailing rate) of the amount that you receive, whether this is paid to you or off your agreement.
  • No win, no fee basis - If we do not recover you anything, you do not pay us!

Compensation For Your Belongings

After dutifully reporting any housing disrepair concern to your landlord and there was a failure in carrying our the repairs, compensation can be claimed for the following:

1. clothing, beddings, furniture or general belongings ruined by mould or damaged by water leaks or repair works;

2. cost of replacing items that were damaged or destroyed with purchase receipts as evidence for your claim;

3. damage to health- physical or mental with hospital records or doctor’s notes showing the effect to your health must be kept;

4. any inconvenience or have not been able to use your home in the normal way; and

5. reduction or refund of rent if you have not been able to use part or all of your home because of the disrepair.

Note that compensation can still be claimed even if your rent has been paid by housing benefit or universal credit.