Mould in a council house is an extremely serious issue. If left unchecked, it can cause severe health issues, such as respiratory infections and even death. Tenants forced to live with mould are entitled to seek help from the Court to force their housing provider to remedy the issue and pay them compensation.
At Bartletts, we have a team of solicitors dedicated to assisting tenants facing issues with mould in their council house. Recognised by our clients as being professional yet friendly, we will work tirelessly to resolve the issue as quickly and cost-efficiently as possible, ensuring your home offers a safe and comfortable environment for you and your family.
To speak to our housing disrepair experts please call us free of charge on 0800 988 3674 or Make A Free Online Enquiry.
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What Types Of Mould Appear In Council Houses?
Mould is a fungus that thrives in damp conditions. Many different varieties of mould exist, including black, green, white and grey. In council houses, black and green mould are the two most common varieties, often appearing in rooms with poor ventilation and lots of steam, such as a bathroom.
Who Is Responsible For Dealing With Mould In Your Council House?
Your housing provider has various legal duties that it must comply with when renting out property to tenants For example, it must ensure the property is fit to live in, is in a state of reasonable repair, and provides reasonable warmth. The presence of mould in your home may indicate a breach of one or more of these legal duties by your housing provider.
Recent guidance issued by the Government makes it clear that landlords cannot seek to blame their tenants ‘lifestyle choices’ for the presence of mould in a property. The responsibility lies with the landlord, who must investigate and address the underlying cause of the issue, which might be inadequate ventilation, structural damage, or a lack of insulation.
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How Can You Claim Compensation For Mould In Your Council House?
The first thing to do when you have damp in your home is to promptly notify your housing provider. Your housing provider likely has a policy detailing how it addresses issues of this nature and when you can expect a reply, so it’s a good idea to check that. Generally speaking, your landlord must address the matter within a ‘reasonable’ time.
According to Government guidance, landlords of all types, private or social, should undertake a series of steps when they receive notification of a mould problem from a tenant. Those steps include the following:
- Urgently assess the extent of the problem to establish whether it places the tenants at risk.
- Identify the underlying issue causing the mould in your council house.
- Explain their proposals for dealing with the issue and how long it will likely take to remedy it.
- Remove the mould pending a permanent solution, with specialist help where necessary.
- Deal with the underlying issue.
- Return to inspect your home at least six weeks after they fixed the issue to confirm that the mould has not reappeared.
If your landlord fails to address the problem of mould in your council house promptly, you may be eligible to bring a legal claim asking that the Court compel them to do so and pay you compensation.
The compensation you are entitled to depends on various factors, including how much rent you pay, the extent of the mould in your council house, and whether it caused any financial losses and medical issues. When you instruct our housing disrepair solicitors to assist you, we will review the circumstances of your case and advise on the level of compensation you can expect to receive, together with your options for securing it.
Many housing disrepair claims, including those relating to mould in council houses, are resolved through negotiations between the parties’ legal advisors. Housing providers have no desire to become embroiled in litigation, so they tend to take urgent action when contacted by solicitors like us. We will insist that they fix the underlying problem causing the mould in your council house and pay you the compensation you deserve for having to live with it.
Housing disrepair claims, including those arising from mould in a council house, can be incredibly complex. They necessitate not only an understanding of the various pieces of legislation that govern the area, but also an in-depth knowledge of relevant case law and an appreciation of the property sector. Our housing disrepair team, with their extensive expertise and experience in the field, are perfectly placed to provide the help and support you need to resolve the mould in your council house as quickly as possible.
To speak to our housing disrepair experts please call us free of charge on 0800 988 3674 or Make A Free Online Enquiry.
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