Housing Disrepair Solicitors
Your landlord has a legal duty to keep your home in repair. If they have failed, you are entitled to compensation — and to force the works to be done.
Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords are required to keep the structure and exterior of a rental property in repair and maintain the installations for water, gas, electricity, heating and sanitation. Where repairs are not carried out within a reasonable time of being reported, tenants can claim compensation for damage to health, belongings, and loss of enjoyment — and obtain a court order compelling the landlord to carry out works. Many solicitors take these cases on a no win no fee basis.
What You Can Claim
Housing disrepair — what the law requires and what you can recover.
Disrepair claims cover both the right to have repairs carried out and the right to compensation for damage and loss suffered while the property was in disrepair. Both are available simultaneously.
What repairs landlords must carry out
Section 11 covers the structure and exterior (roof, walls, windows, drains), installations for water, gas and electricity, heating systems, hot water, and sanitation. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 also requires the property to be fit for human habitation — covering a wider range of hazards including damp, cold, and overcrowding. A solicitor will identify whether the issues in your property fall within the landlord's statutory repairing duty.
The notice requirement
A landlord's liability for disrepair does not begin until they have notice of it. Notice can be given in writing, verbally, or the landlord may be taken to have notice if the disrepair is obvious from inspection. Written notice — by letter, text, or email — is the strongest evidence. A solicitor will advise on how to document the notice and ensure that a clear record of the landlord's knowledge of the disrepair exists before the claim is issued.
Compensation for health problems
Where disrepair has caused or aggravated a health condition — respiratory problems from damp and mould, infections from inadequate sanitation, injuries from structural defects — compensation for personal injury can be claimed alongside the main disrepair claim. Medical evidence, including a GP letter or specialist report, strengthens the health element of the claim. A solicitor will advise on the evidence needed to establish the health impact and quantify the damages.
Rent abatement and damage to belongings
Compensation for disrepair typically includes a rent abatement — a percentage of the rent refunded for the period during which the property was in disrepair. The percentage reflects how significantly the disrepair affected the use and enjoyment of the property. Where belongings — clothing, furniture, electronics — have been damaged by damp or flooding, a separate claim for the value of those items can be made. A solicitor will compile and quantify all heads of loss.
Court orders for repairs
Where a landlord refuses to carry out repairs despite notice and reasonable time to do so, the court can make an order requiring the works to be completed within a set timescale. Breach of such an order can be enforced as a contempt of court. A court order can also be obtained on an urgent basis where the disrepair poses an immediate health risk — for example, a gas leak, structural collapse, or total loss of heating in winter. A solicitor will pursue a court order where the landlord fails to act.
Social housing and housing associations
Social housing tenants — including those renting from councils and housing associations — have the same rights under Section 11 and the Homes Act as private tenants, and in some cases additional rights under their tenancy agreement. Many solicitors specialise in social housing disrepair and will take cases on a no win no fee basis. A disrepair claim does not affect your tenancy or your right to remain in the property. A solicitor will advise on the specific process for social housing disrepair claims.