In an ideal world, our homes would be immaculate and issue-free but reality means that problems do arise – and when they happen, who is responsible?
The legal owner of the property is ultimately responsible and is duty bound to rectify any issues and fix any damages. This is why housing disrepair claims only ever happen between tenants and landlords – arising when the tenant has waited too long for a problem to be resolved due to the landlord’s refusal to take action.
If your landlord has had a reasonable amount of time to repair the damages to your home and has not, then you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation.
What Is Housing Disrepair?
Housing disrepair covers a range of issues and isn’t just limited to the inside of your home – it is any issue that either causes a safety risk, threatens your health and wellbeing, or causes inconvenience to your daily life.
As a guide, housing disrepair usually falls into one of 3 categories:
Property damage
Any damage to your property that you have notified your landlord about that has not been repaired, is considered to be housing disrepair.
Examples of damages include dampness on the walls or condensation on the windows, plumbing problems, or loose floorboards.
Damages can lead to safety risks and your home could become an unsafe place to live.
Always contact your landlord as soon as you notice any property damage, and your landlord should communicate with you and arrange for the repairs to rectified.
Outside damages
Damage to the outside of your home or to your garden is classed as housing disrepair.
It may be that the fence in your garden is damaged or your drains are blocked – whatever the issue is, you should expect your landlord to take action soon after being told about the matter.
Inconvenience
Your home may be structurally safe but you may have an infestation of mice or rats. This can often be a sign of damage to the property somewhere unseen and obviously is not nice to live with.
Your landlord should react straightaway after being told there are pests in your property, to resolve the matter.
How We Can Help You With Your Housing Disrepair Claim?
Our specialist housing solicitors are here to help you if you want to start a housing disrepair claim or to discuss your housing situation and whether your landlord should be doing more to fix the faults or issues in your home.
We will ensure we fully understand your circumstances to determine if your landlord is being negligent – and establish if you have a case to make a claim for housing disrepair compensation.
If you decide to make a housing disrepair claim, we will assist you at every stage of the process to make the experience as stress-free and straightforward as possible for you.
Make a Free Enquiry Today!
To discuss making a housing disrepair claim and for expert legal advice, please call us now on 01244 752 999 or complete a Free Online Enquiry and we will soon be in touch.