FAQ

You can start court action to claim compensation during your tenancy or up to 6 years after it ends. We recommend you start your claim whilst living in the property, as this will enable us to arrange an independent surveyor to gain access to your home and complete a full list of repairs that need doing. Starting your claim during your tenancy will also order your landlord to do repair work.

Before starting legal action, you must ensure you have reported the repairs and given your landlord reasonable time to complete them. You must gather all the evidence needed to back up your claim. Your evidence could include copies of letters that show you have reported the problem to your landlord and photographs showing examples of the disrepair or damaged property. Any receipts proving you had to replace things damaged or destroyed by the problem. Any medical reports explaining how your health has been affected and any report from your council’s environmental health department.

Your evidence may include any one or more of the following:

• Photographs showing examples of the disrepair or damaged property – For each issue, always take a close-up picture and another picture of the same issue further away, so TWO photos minimum for each issue.
• It is helpful (but not essential) for the solicitor if you can provide video evidence whilst you describe the problems, this helps the solicitor understand the issues and how best to claim.
• Copies of letters that show you reported the problem to your landlord
• Receipts proving you had to replace things damaged or destroyed by the problem.
• Medical reports explaining how your health has been affected.
• Report from your council’s environmental health department.

You can claim compensation if you’ve suffered inconvenience or have not been able to use your home in the usual way due to the landlord’s failure to repair your home or significant disruption during the repair work. How much compensation you can get depends on the level of disrepair, the rent you pay, and the repair problem’s effect on you and your family.

If you have dampness and mould in your home, you’re more likely to have respiratory problems, infections, allergies, or asthma. Damp and mould can also affect the immune system.

You should report any repair issues in your home to your landlord as soon as you spot the problem. If you don’t report issues straight away, it can result in damage to the property getting worse if problems are not fixed quickly.

Under section 11 of the housing act, your tenancy is fully protected by Law and will not be affected.