If you have experienced water leaks at your rented property and the landlord has not repaired the issue even after you have reported it, you could be entitled to housing disrepair compensation, so contact Legal HD today and start your claim.

Am I eligible for housing disrepair compensation?

If ALL of these apply to you then you are eligible for housing disrepair compensation:

• You rent your property through a housing association, social housing or local authority. You cannot claim for housing disrepair compensation if you rent your property from a private landlord.
• You have reported a disrepair problem directly to your landlord and have given them a reasonable period of time to resolve the issue.
• You are still living with the disrepair.

What types of water leak can I claim for?

If you contact Legal HD today you can claim housing disrepair compensation for the following water leak-related issues:

• Internal or external water leaks
• Water leaks caused by a damaged roof – including guttering and fascias and soffits
• Water leaking through a ceiling from an above roof or property
• Water leaks from pipework

As long as you haven’t caused these repair issues yourself through your own negligence or behaviour, the landlord has a duty to carry out these repairs once they have been reported, so start your claim today if a repair hasn’t been carried out.

How can water leaks affect a tenant?

A landlord has a legal duty to provide a safe and comfortable property, and this includes responding to repair issues that you have reported. Water leaks are often caused by an initial, separate problem, such as a roofing, pipework or guttering problem. This can lead to water leaking through brick and plasterwork, it can also cause window frames to rot.

Rot, damp and mould can cause dangerous instability issues, but they are also bad for your health if you are exposed to damp and mould for an extended period. The results of a water leak can also damage your own property, which might not be immediately noticeable. Of course it is also very uncomfortable to live with the results of a water leak and this can lead to stress and anxiety, particularly if the problem has been reported and not dealt with after a certain period of time. You can claim for housing disrepair compensation if any of these problems apply to you.

What happens when I make a housing disrepair claim?

Making a housing disrepair claim is really easy:

• We will ask you some questions about the issue, such as 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 first contacted the landlord. We will then ask you to keep taking evidence to show how the problem is deteriorating.
• We will consider this evidence and if we think you have a genuine case to seek compensation we will process your claim and seek compensation on your behalf.

Why should I choose Legal HD?

We work on a no-win-no-fee basis, meaning there is no risk or cost to you if we don’t win the case

We are specialist housing disrepair solicitors with great experience in processing claims like this

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 only make a housing disrepair claim if I didn’t cause the damage?

Yes. The landlord is not responsible for carrying out repairs on damage you have caused yourself. However, they can choose to have the problem repaired, but you will be liable to pay for it.

What does a ‘reasonable period’ of time mean?

You need to give the landlord a fair chance to carry out the repair before you can make a claim. This means you must give them a reasonable period of time to react, which will depend on how big, challenging or costly the problem is. These are all factors which could delay getting the job done, and which mean the landlord might not necessarily get the job done tomorrow, but they are at least working towards getting it done, so in these circumstances you need to allow them some time.

What different costs can I claim for?

You can claim for the following costs when you make a housing disrepair claim:

• Anything you have already spent yourself on repairing or living with the issue
• The cost of any damage to your personal belongings which directly relates to the unresolved issue
• Any health problems you or your family have suffered and which directly relate to the unresolved issue
• Your discomfort and inconvenience in living with the problem unresolved.