Housing Condition
Claims
HOUSING DISREPAIR
Across England and Wales, thousands of people are living in rented homes that fall below acceptable standards. As a tenant, you have a legal right to live in a property that is safe, secure and well maintained.
If you rent from a council or housing association and the condition of your home isn’t up to standard, Charles Lyndon’s team of housing conditions lawyers are here to help.
What kind of problems can I claim for?
A home may be considered to be in disrepair if part of the property has deteriorated or is no longer working as it should.
Some of these problems can present serious risks to the health of you and your family or can mean your home isn’t fit for habitation.
Problems may include hazards, structural issues or a lack of basic, essential amenities.
Common Examples Include:
- The presence of damp or mould growth;
- Water leaks, and damage to the walls, ceilings and electrics resulting from leaks;
- Structural problems including significant cracks in the walls, and the separation of woodwork such as doorframes or skirting boards from the walls;
- Holes or other damage to the roof or exterior of the building, which can let in rainwater, cold or vermin;
- Draughts and cold resulting from inadequate insulation or damaged window seals;
- Blown double glazing;
- No or inadequate facilities for ventilation and moisture removal, particularly in the bathroom or kitchen;
- Repeated faults or breakdown of the boiler, radiators or other space and water heating facilities;
- Electric system and wiring faults or issues, including repeated tripping;
- Problems with drainage or sewers;
- Rodent or insect infestations.
Many of these issues can pose serious health risks or make your home unfit for habitation. If your landlord fails to address them properly, you may be entitled to take legal action.
Claiming for housing disrepair
If you’re a tenant of a local authority or a housing association who’s reported disrepair to your landlord, but they have failed to carry out proper repairs, you may have a valid claim.
You might also be able to claim if your landlord has done some repairs but has failed to fix the underlying problems. For example, sometimes a landlord will clean off or paint over mould without doing anything to address the cause of the mould, meaning it is likely to return. We have also seen cases where a landlord has repaired the plaster damage caused by a water leak but has done nothing to stop the leak.
Charles Lyndon can help you to:
- Compel your landlord to complete repairs and remedial works
- Ensure your home is brought up to a legally acceptable standard
- Recover the cost of replacing personal items damaged by disrepair
- Seek compensation for the distress, inconvenience and health impacts of living in poor conditions
Our housing disrepair team will handle the entire process, from gathering evidence to negotiating with your landlord and pursuing court proceedings where necessary.
Funding your Claim
If you would like to discuss whether you might have a claim for housing disrepair and whether Charles Lyndon can assist you, please get in touch.
We never charge for initial conversations and if we think we can help you to make a claim, we will take your claim on under a conditional fee agreement (No Win No Fee). We also work with an insurer that provides ‘After the Event’ insurance, to protect you from the risk of having to pay your landlord’s legal costs in the event of an unsuccessful claim.