Housing disrepair
What is legal housing disrepair?
As your landlord, we are generally responsible for maintaining your property to a condition that meets legal standards. This includes ensuring the property is safe, habitable and free from significant defects.
See further information about tenants and repairs to see what is your responsibility and what is our responsibility.
If we do not meet our obligation to carry out a repair you have reported in a reasonable time, you may be able to raise a housing disrepair claim. In most cases this should be the last step you take to get your repair issue resolved.
When should I make a housing disrepair claim?
A housing disrepair claim should be the last step you take when getting a repair issue resolved. Before considering if a housing disrepair claim is the right step to take, make sure you have already:
- Reported any repairs needed to your home. You can do so online or over the phone.
- If you have reported a repair and it has not been fixed in a reasonable time, you can make a complaint.
- You can further escalate your repair issue, or how we have handled your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman.
Taking these steps first will likely result in a quicker resolution and where any financial compensation is awarded there are no fees to pay, so 100% of the compensation will go to you.
Should having taken these steps, your repair issue still not be resolved you may consider raising a legal housing disrepair claim.
How do I make a housing disrepair claim
If you wish to make a housing disrepair claim you can do so by seeking advice from a Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Age UK, a Housing Aid Centre, a Law Centre or to a Solicitor. The Solicitors Regulatory Authority has a list of solicitor firms who conduct housing work.
Information for solicitors
If you wish to make a request for disclosure under the Data Protection Act, you can do so by following this request process. It is not necessary to make a disclosure request if you have already raised a disrepair.
Warning about using claims management companies or ‘no-win, no-fee’ solicitors
We are aware of many claims management companies or ‘no-win, no-fee’ solicitors approaching tenants and encouraging them to make disrepair claims, often with little evidence of whether you really have a claim to make.
In some cases, these companies are misrepresenting who they are working for, saying they are working for Lambeth Council, or a government agency. This is not correct. Always check who they really are, ask for ID and if you are still unsure call the company they say they are from.
By going with one of these companies, if you do win your case you will have to share a large percentage of any compensation you are awarded with them, for the recovery of their costs from the Council. If you lose your case, you will be responsible for any legal costs, which can be thousands of pounds.
Your case will not be managed any differently if you use a management company or ‘no-win, no-fee’ solicitor. It will not be processed more quickly or mean you will be offered more compensation.