No win, no fee housing disrepair solicitors

Thousands of people throughout England and Wales are living in properties which are not fit for purpose. Landlords have a legal obligation to maintain the properties that they rent out, however Local Authority and Housing Association tenants can be left living in homes that are unsafe. Get in touch with our housing disrepair solicitors for a free consultation.

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What we can help you with

If you’re a tenant renting a council or a housing association home, then you may be eligible to make a claim if you fit the following criteria:

  • Your home is currently in a state of disrepair.
  • You have made at least one complaint to the council or housing association (landlord) more than 3 months ago regarding the disrepair.
  • Your landlord has then failed to carry out adequate repairs to your property within a reasonable period.

 

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 states that your landlord has a legal responsibility to you as the tenant to:

  • Ensure that the property meets necessary fire safety regulations.
  • Keep in repair and maintain gas, electricity, water and sanitation installations.
  • Handle mould and damp problems.
  • Keep in repair the roof and plasterwork.
  • Maintain the structure and exterior of rental property, including external pipes and drains.
  • Provide efficient security i.e. windows and doors that lock properly.
  • Fix defective central heating and wiring.
  • Under The Homes (Fitness for Habitation) Act 2018, your home must be “fit for human habitation”. Your home therefore must be free from damp and have adequate ventilation too.

 

When a landlord fails in their responsibility to maintain the property that they rent out to tenants, the tenant may be able to make a housing disrepair claim for:

  • Damp and mould.
  • Gas and water leaks.
  • Defective central heating.
  • Broken door, windows, fence or gate.
  • Vermin or pest infestation.
  • Blocked or broken drains and gutters.
  • Damaged or broken toilet basin and sink.

What damages can I claim for?

If your landlord fails to fix issues in the home within a reasonable time period, you are legally entitled to bring a claim against the local authority or housing association responsible. This will force the landlord to complete the necessary works and compensate you for various damages, including:

  • Your rent for the period the property was in disrepair

     Claims are valued based from the first date the disrepair was notified to the landlord. Claims are valued at 5-10% of the rent paid since notifying the landlord of the disrepair.

  • Damages to personal property

     Personal belongings such as clothes, shoes and bags can be claimed for. Additionally, any damages to soft furnishings such as curtains, carpet and bedding would also be taken into consideration.

  • Personal injury

     Once proven, you can claim for any personal injury or illness the disrepair in question has caused yourself or other tenants. The amount of compensation received depends on factors including severity, duration, and financial loss. If you require further information about personal injury claims, click here.

  • Inconvenience

     Any psychological distress or inconvenience can be claimed for. For example, if you’ve had to sleep in another room due to damp or continuous cleaning of mould or damp in your bedroom.

what to expect from our process

We understand how stressful and upsetting it can be to live in a home that’s unsafe or unfit for your family. Our housing disrepair solicitors can help you take the pressure off and provide you with guidance throughout the whole claim process. We’ll support you from your first enquiry to the final outcome and offer legal expert advice to get you the nest possible result.

Our housing disrepair solicitors have supported thousands of clients in solving unsafe and unhealthy living conditions.

Here’s how the process works:

Step 1

Once you've contacted us, we will establish who was at fault (whether that be a Local Authority )council) or Housing Association and submit a claim on your behalf. If you haven't already made a complaint to your landlord, you may be asked to do so.

Step 2

We gather the evidence. If your landlord fails to fix the issues you've raised, we'll collect all of the evidence needed to prove your claim, including damages incurred to your property and our health.

Step 3

Win your claim - we'll fight hard on your behalf to recover maximum compensation in the shortest time. Thanks to our no win, no fee policy, you will only be charged for a successful claim.

advice hub

We've created our advice hub to give you as much information as possible to move forward with your claim.

Case Studies

13 disrepair issues

Case Studies

Housing disrepair client reports issues more than 200 times

Case Studies

Unacceptable living conditions

Case Studies

Housing Disrepair compensation of £6,000

Case Studies

Mould and damp disrepairs

Advice hub

meet our experts

The team at True Solicitors is made of professionals who are on hand to assist you with your claim. Whether you're looking to make a large or small claim, our staff are here to give you the advice and support you need to make your housing disrepair a successful one.

Caroline Houghton

Partner - Housing disrepair, First Response, Operations Manager and Training

Partners , Housing Disrepair , Business Development & Marketing

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Aaron Turner

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

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Ben Adley

Trainee Solicitor

Housing Disrepair

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Ben Robinson

Claims Handler

Housing Disrepair

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Dominique O’Neill-Roper

Trainee Solicitor

Housing Disrepair

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Ellen Noke

Supervisor

Housing Disrepair

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Gledisa Qokthi

Claims Handler

Housing Disrepair

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Sam Mitchell

Trainee Solicitor

Housing Disrepair

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Ellie Clifford

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

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Gillian Richardson

Chartered Legal Executive

Housing Disrepair

GR
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Katie Latimer

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

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Laura Calin

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

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Steven Hudson

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

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Vanessa Bowern

Solicitor

Housing Disrepair

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Wiktoria Zaklikiewicz

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

WZ
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Arjun Brar

Claims Handler

Housing Disrepair

AB
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Luke Wallworth

Claims Handler

Housing Disrepair

LW
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Ellyse King

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

EK
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Michael Ordish

Claims Handler

Housing Disrepair

MO
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Marcus Davie

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

MD
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Seun Odukogbe

Claims Handler

Housing Disrepair

SO
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Jack Kennedy

Claims Handler

Housing Disrepair

JK
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Ed Owens

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

EO
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Katie Marley

Paralegal

Housing Disrepair

KM
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Meet our experts

frequently asked questions

  • how much compensation could I receive from a housing disrepair claim?

     The compensation you could be owed from your housing disrepair claim can vary depending on a few major factors, such as:
    • The duration of the disrepair
    • The severity of the disrepair
    • The amount of rent you pay your landlord
    All of these factors above are used to calculate an adequate amount of compensation you should be paid for your claim.

  • what is the criteria for a housing disrepair claim?

     When making a housing disrepair claim, it is important to be sure that your claim meets a few important criteria:
    • Your rented property is in a state of disrepair, for example due to mould, leaks, faulty electrics or structural damage.
    • Your landlord has been previously notified of the state of the property, and have failed to act on this within a reasonable timeframe.
    • The disrepair must have had a tangible impact on the tenant's wellbeing.

  • what is the limitation period for housing disrepair claims?

     For housing disrepair claims, there is a limitation period of six years from when the issue was first noticed, or presented to the landlord. This means that you can make a housing disrepair claim up to six years after the disrepair of your building began.

  • what is a section 82 housing disrepair?

     Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is a legal proceeding that allows private renters to take legal proceedings against their landlord if they are experiencing mental, physical, or emotional harm from the disrepair of their property. This allows tenants to take a legal route to address ongoing structural issues with their property.

  • can i make a housing disrepair claim against the council?

     In short, yes. If you are a tenant of a council rented property and the council have failed to maintain the property to an adequate standard, then you are able to make a housing disrepair claim against them.

  • can i make a housing disrepair claim against a housing association?

     If you are a tenant of a housing association and are living in a state of disrepair, then you could be eligible to make a housing disrepair claim. Should the housing association, as your landlord, fail to fulfil their obligations to upkeep your home, then you may be entitled to compensation.

Get in touch

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Contact us today to speak with our solicitors and legal executives who are highly experienced in handling personal injury claims, clinical negligence cases, residential conveyancing, credit hire and housing disrepair claims.

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