Housing Disrepair Claims | Housing | Howells Solicitors
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Housing Disrepair Claims

Housing Disrepair

Your home is a place where you and your family should feel safe and secure, therefore you will want to try to resolve repair issues as soon as possible. However, sometimes that can be difficult, and you may find that you need legal help to tackle the issues.

Whether your landlord is the local Council, a Housing Association or a private individual or company, you have rights when it comes to the outstanding repairs in your home. Our Housing Solicitors can help if you have reported significant repairs to your landlord, but they have not been completed. These repairs may be causing ill health or emotional distress to you and your family and so require urgent attention.

What is Classed as Housing Disrepair?

Housing disrepair means that there is damage that needs to be put right. Our housing team can help you if you have experienced disrepair such as:

  • Damp and Mould in the property
  • Broken Boilers and heating and water issues.
  • Issues with the structure of the property, including leaking roofs, problems with drains, gutters, and issues with doors and windows.
  • Faulty electrics and gas within the property

How Much Does It Cost for a Housing Disrepair Claim?

If your query is not covered by Legal Aid or you are not eligible we are able to offer a fixed-fee diagnostic interview.

Our fixed fee services are designed to make Housing advice accessible and affordable and to give peace of mind that you will know from the outset the total costs. An initial diagnostic interview will cost £200.00 plus VAT.

If further work is required, we will be able to give you an estimate at the diagnostic interview of any additional costs.

Legal Aid

Please note Legal Aid is only available for disrepair cases if there is a serious threat of injury or harm occurring if the repairs are not done.

It is not available to claim compensation from your landlord.

Housing Disrepair FAQs

Do I Have to Have Reported the Housing Disrepair to my Landlord?

Before taking legal advice you should have informed your landlord of the issues and allowed them a reasonable period of time to carry out the repairs. How long your landlord should be given for carrying out the repairs depends on the repair.
If you are unsure whether your landlord has had a reasonable time since you reported the repair to carry out the work please contact us and we can assist further.
Should it be necessary, our team of experts are fully equipped with issuing formal proceedings against Landlords in the County Court to gain an order for work to be carried out.

How Should I Contact my Landlord Regarding my Repair?

You can make contact with your landlord by phone, email, letter or in person. We would always recommend contacting in writing (i.e., by letter or email). This will provide you with proof of your contact with your landlord.

What Do I Do if my Landlord Contacts Me and Says They Will Fix the Repair but Doesn’t?

If your landlord replies to you then you should also give them a reasonable opportunity to fix the repair. Take note of dates, times, and the person you spoke to.

If your landlord fails to fix the repair in the times they have specified, you can contact our Housing Solicitors.

Can I Claim Compensation for Housing Disrepair?

This will depend on several factors, including:
• How bad the damage/disrepair is
• The length of time that it has been in disrepair
• when notice of the disrepair was given to the Landlord and the issues that it has caused for you and your family

Legal Aid is not available to pursue a claim for compensation against your landlord. Under Legal Aid funding we are only able to assist you with trying to get the repair completed. We are not able to assist you under Legal Aid funding to claim compensation from your landlord

 

How can we help? Contact us today

Contact us on 0114 2496609 or 0114 2496666 and one of our advisors will be in touch to discuss your situation. We will take some initial information and if we can help, we will book you in for a consultation with a legal professional.

Speak to our team today

The Housing Team

Our team are a dedicated team with many years of experience. Delivering quality law with excellent care, they understand that they’re not dealing with ‘cases’ but with people, not bound up in the legal process but in real life. It’s a team you’ll want on your side.

Request a Call back

The Howells Solicitors law team are compassionate, down-to-earth and professional, offering you the best expert advice. Get in touch with solicitors in Sheffield, Rotherham, and Barnsley to see how we can help. Fill in the form or give us a call at:

The Housing Team

 

Marie Busfield

Benefits & Credits

0114 249 6627
Samuel Wattret

Housing

0114 249 6648
Pollyanna Shaw

Housing

0114 2496666