Have you experienced internal damage to your rented property? If you have reported this to your landlord and they have not resolved the issue, you could be entitled to housing disrepair compensation.

Contact Legal HD today and start your claim for housing disrepair compensation

Am I eligible for housing disrepair compensation?

You are eligible for housing disrepair compensation if ALL of these apply to you:

• You rent your property through a housing association, social housing or local authority
• You have reported a disrepair problem directly to your landlord
• You have given the landlord a reasonable period of time to resolve the issue
• You are still living with the problem unresolved

You cannot claim for housing disrepair compensation if you rent your property from a private landlord.

What internal damage problems can I claim for?

If you contact Legal HD today we can help you claim housing disrepair compensation for the following issues:

• Damaged walls and plasterwork
• Rotting windows
• Internal water leaks
• Damaged floors, windows, doors and stairs
• Damaged fittings, such as in the bathroom, toilet or kitchen

As long as you haven’t caused these repair issues yourself, the landlord has a responsibility to carry out these repairs, so start your claim today if this hasn’t been done.

How can internal damage affect a tenant?

A landlord has a duty to provide a safe and comfortable home as part of your tenancy agreement, so if you are experiencing any of these internal damage problems and the landlord does not respond to your requests to carry out repairs, they are neglecting this duty. Any of the issues listed above can lead to you carrying out repairs yourself and bearing the cost, it could also damage your personal belongings or start to affect your health, or the health of a family member. You can also be affected by the inconvenience and distress of living with the problem and the uncomfortable conditions it results in. You can make a housing disrepair claim for compensation to cover all these issues.

What happens when I make a housing disrepair claim?

When you contact us to make a housing disrepair claim we will ask you some questions about the issue, when and how it first appeared and how it is affecting you. We will ask you to provide evidence of the problem, usually photographs and dates of when you contacted the landlord, and ask you to keep taking evidence to show how the problem is deteriorating. If we think you have a genuine case to seek compensation we will start to process your claim and seek compensation on your behalf.

• We work on a no-win-no-fee basis, meaning there is no risk or cost to you
• We are specialist housing disrepair solicitors
• We offer a friendly, personable service where you can contact us any time

Start a housing disrepair claim today and we can start the process of seeking compensation for your disrepair issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a housing disrepair claim if I caused the damage myself?

No. The landlord is not responsible for damage that has been caused through your negligence or unreasonable behaviour. They may choose to carry out the repairs for you, but you will be liable to pay the costs.

What constitutes a ‘reasonable period of time’ for the landlord to carry out the repair?

This depends on the nature of the problem. If it starts off as a minor issue then the landlord should be able to carry out a repair within a couple of weeks, but if it is a more major problem (such as a structural issue) the landlord may need to find specialist tradespeople and arrange for funds to pay for it. In this case you would need to allow the landlord a little longer to resolve the issue. In all cases, our housing disrepair solicitors will be able to advise on what is a reasonable period of time, when we speak to you about your individual problem.

What can I claim for?

When you make a housing disrepair claim you can claim for:

• Any costs you have already incurred
• Any damage to your personal belongings which can be directly attributed to the repair issue
• Any health issues which can be directly attributed to the repair issue
• Your inconvenience in having to live with the problem unresolved