The process of moving home is one of the most stressful life events we encounter, and even if you are moving into rented accommodation, rather than buying a property outright, there is a lot to think about. The financial side of it requires new arrangements and considerations, while you also need to have all your belongings packed and ready to go on a specific date. The move could be the first home of your own, or may be the first move undertaken in new personal circumstances. Whatever your situation, the move can be overwhelming and can make you anxious, and there are many things to think about which make it a difficult process.  

Landlord and tenant responsibilities 

When you move into local authority housing you will agree a tenancy agreement with your landlord. This will stipulate various details, such as your rent, when it is due and how long your rental agreement is valid for. It should also make reference to the various responsibilities of the landlord and you as the tenant. Your responsibilities include paying rent on time and behaving responsibly when living in the property, while the landlord has a duty to provide a clean and comfortable home, amongst other things.  

It is therefore your right to expect the property to be in a good state of repair when you move into it. However, it is common for a new tenant to miss key details and not thoroughly inspect a property at the time they move in. This is understandable when moving home is such a stressful undertaking, but it is important that you identify any areas of disrepair, or potential disrepair and report these to your landlord as soon as possible. As stated, the landlord has a responsibility to provide a safe, clean and comfortable property for the extent of your tenancy, and that includes from the very beginning when you move in. Ideally you would thoroughly inspect the property before you move in, but if you have detected a disrepair issue very early in your tenancy, don’t worry, you are protected by your tenancy agreement and the landlord’s basic duties, and there are ways in which you can get this repair issue dealt with.  

Common repair problems in local authority housing 

There are many things that can go wrong in a property, of course, but the most common disrepair issues found in council properties include: 

• Damp problems 

• Mould and damaged plasterwork 

• Rotting or damaged windows 

• Water leaks or signs of water leaks (internally and externally) from damaged roofs, ceilings, pipes and gutters 

• External damage – brickwork, paths, fences and gates 

• Damaged floors, doors, walls, windows and stairs 

• Damaged fittings – bathroom, toilet, kitchen 

• Infestations – vermin or insects 

• Structural issues – evidence of walls, plaster or roof damage 

• Faulty heating, boilers and radiators 

• Electrical issues – faulty/damaged sockets and exposed/damaged wiring 

If you discover any of these problems early in your tenancy, or indeed at any stage of your tenancy, you can be assured that your landlord has a responsibility to carry out these repairs for you. Many people feel anxious or embarrassed to report a disrepair issue early in a tenancy, particularly as they want to make a good impression in their relationship with a new landlord. But the tenant has a right to expect a safe, clean and comfortable home and the landlord has a duty to provide this. A responsible and honest landlord should have no issue with carrying out a repair, if an issue has been reported in good faith and has not been caused by the tenant’s own negligence or misadventure.  

What you should do if you identify a repair issue in a local authority property

• If you detect one of the above-listed issues in your council home, you should report it to your landlord immediately. You should make sure that the landlord directly receives this instruction, rather than leaving a message to be passed on to them.  

• Your landlord has a legal duty to carry out these kind of repairs in a timely manner, and you should bear no cost for the repair. 

• You should then allow the landlord a reasonable amount of time to carry out the repair, based on the cost and severity of the issue. So, a structural repair will cost more and may require longer to plan and repair and you should therefore allow the landlord longer to carry out this repair than, say, a faulty radiator. 

• If the landlord has not carried out the repair after a reasonable period of time, you should remind them. If there is still no action you can prepare to make a claim for housing disrepair.  

• You qualify to make a housing a disrepair claim because you live in a council property, have reported a repair issue directly to your landlord and have given them a reasonable period of time to carry out the repair. 

• If you make a housing disrepair claim you can recover the costs of any damage caused to your personal belongings, any costs you have incurred by resolving the issue yourself, and also compensation for your discomfort and inconvenience in living with the disrepair issue.  

Make a housing disrepair claim with Legal HD 

At Legal HD we believe that all local authority tenants have a right to suitable compensation when a disrepair issue has been reported but not resolved. This applies whatever stage you are at in your tenancy agreement, and particularly if you have only recently moved in. We have a team of experts ready to assess the validity of your claim and help you in the process of recovering your costs, so contact our team at Legal HD today.