Month: August 2021

Gowing Law Solicitors are Housing Disrepair Claim experts. We endeavour to provide solid advice, consultations and results to all of our clients around the UK. It can be extremely frustrating to live in a council house, rented property or accommodation from the housing association that is full of disrepairs. It is your landlord’s responsibility to have these disrepairs sorted. If they fail to do this then they could be guilty of neglect. That is when you need to start thinking about making a claim with an experienced law firm.

Here at Gowing Law, we are ready to take on your case and make sure that you get your repairs sorted. Our experienced lawyers can speak to your landlord on your behalf and make sure that any tricky paperwork is completely settled. That way you can feel confident that you will get the compensation you deserve from your Housing Disrepair Claim. We want to help you live in comfort and are ready to do so. All you need to do is get in contact by calling 0800 041 8350 or by clicking on our website below:

What is a Housing Disrepair?

When you rent out any type of property from the housing association or a council house, the first thing you need to understand is that the maintenance of the house is the responsibility of your landlord. That means if anything falls into disrepair, they need to be the ones to fix it. Of course, you do have your own responsibilities and you need to play your part in keeping your house in a habitable state. However, your landlord is responsible for the following external and internal items:

As you can see, a landlord’s responsibilities are mainly focused on areas of the house that tend to be prone to damage through time, age, use and wear. For instance, in a house that is from the 1960’s or 1980’s, they may be on the lookout for asbestos. If Asbestos was discovered in the walls, your landlord would need to help you find suitable lodgings whilst the asbestos was removed. That way you would be put out of harm’s way. For another example of Housing Disrepair, take a look at the gif below for a good case study:

What should I do if my house is suffering from disrepairs?

The first thing you should do is try not to panic. Disrepairs happen all the time to rented properties. Go to your landlord and request their assistance. They are required (even during the lockdown) to help you. You should do this through both written correspondence and either a phone call or email. That way you can have proof that you reached out to try and get assistance. Although you do need to give your landlord enough time to get the repairs fixed, you will be able to tell if they are acting negligent towards you and refuse to get the repairs sorted. Acts of negligence include:

• Ignoring your requests for help
• Repairing the damages themselves through the cheapest means possible
• Trying to fix the problem and making it worse
• Demanding that you pay for the disrepairs

If you find that your landlord is failing to co-operate with you, and the disrepairs end up getting worse, you may end up having to start on a Housing Disrepair Claim. Usually, your eligibility will depend on three categories:

Usually, your damages will fall into more than one category. For instance, your house might suffer from mould and damp. If you have breathing issues then you could suffer from a personal injury if they end up getting worse. The mould may have made a certain room completely uninhabitable, inconveniencing you. If the mould has spread to your clothing or belongings that have fabric on them, you may find that you have experienced damages to items in your possession. This is damage to property. Note all of these damages down and try to collect evidence for them. These will be helpful for your solicitor during your case.

How can Gowing Law Solicitors help with a Housing Disrepair Claim?

Now that you have decided to get started with a Housing Disrepair Claim with Gowing Law Solicitors, the first thing that we will do to help is discuss your claim. It’s important that we know all of the details of your housing disrepair claim, including how long the disrepairs have been happening for. The longer they have been left, the more likely it is that they will have become worse over time. This means that there is more chance that you could be owed a larger amount of compensation for your damages. Once the details have been sorted, your solicitor will contact your landlord on your behalf to begin your claim. During this time, they will also contact a triage assessor to look at your damages for themselves. The chart below details the process moving forward:

During this process, your solicitor will be working hard to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve. They will be negotiating a settlement agreement with your landlord and their insurance company. You may choose to be involved in these negotiations. We will continue to work with you until this happens and your home is habitable again.

How much will I be compensated for my losses?

When you make a Housing Disrepair Claim, the amount of compensation that you receive will depend on the extent of the damages in your home. It will also depend on any personal injuries that you receive from living in the rented property. You could be owed anywhere up to £20,000. We recommend speaking to your solicitor. That way you can understand how much you could be owed and how long it will take to receive your payment.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your Housing Disrepair Claim

Now that you are ready to get started on your Housing Disrepair Claim, Gowing Law Solicitors can help you along every step of the way. We offer free advice and consultations to get you started. If you are happy to move forward with your claim, we can work with you on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will never have to pay any hidden fees. Instead, you will only have to pay your solicitor if they win your case.

Contact our law firm today by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our claim’s checker. You can then let our specialists know if you have any additional questions you may have.

Learn more about making a Housing Disrepair Claim

Every week, Gowing Law’s content team upload new blogs to our website. That way you can learn all about different UK legal claims and how you can move forward with your own claim. We also write about seasonal events, updates about our law firm and the occasional competition/giveaway. If you have a topic that you would like to see covered on our blog, feel free to write into info@gowinglaw.co.uk. You can also follow our social media by clicking on the buttons below.

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog!

Housing Disrepair Claims are there to protect you if your landlord has refused to help you with the damages within your home. This includes external and internal structures. However, have you ever considered what you will do if the inside of your walls were the actual problem with your home? To be more precise, what would you do if you discovered asbestos inside of your wall? If you are exposed to this type of material, there is a chance that you could develop asbestosis. This could affect you for the rest of your life. That’s why it’s crucial that you hold your landlord responsible for the damages that happen inside your home.

Your landlord owes you a “duty of care.” That means they need to ensure the property does not cause you, or your family, any personal injuries or damages. If it does then you could be owed compensation for your losses.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your Housing Disrepair Claims. If you feel as if you are the victim of your landlord’s negligence, and your house has untreated asbestos within it, it’s crucial that you seek the help of a lawyer. They can help you make your landlord take action to ensure the damages are fixed. That way you will no longer be exposed to dangerous materials. Get started on your claim by calling 0800 041 8350 or click the button below to find out more:

What is Asbestos?

In our video above, you can learn all about the basics of housing disrepair claims. However, what you’re really interested in is Asbestos. Well, Asbestos falls under a type of housing disrepair. It was used in the walls during the 1960’s in order to provide padding. However, back then people did not know that Asbestos could have a serious effect on the residents’ health. Most of the time you would find Asbestos in factories or old warehouses. However, it was also used in older residences. Right now, much council housing property and property from the housing association was created in the 1960’s and 1980’s. That means it is more likely that it is going to contain Asbestos.

Your landlord should issue a thorough inspection of the property to ensure that it is safe for you and your family, as well as any other residents, to live in. If it fails then it may need internal reconstruction. They will need to undertake these steps to ensure they adhere to their own safety code, as well as their “duty of care” towards you. Asbestos can be found as lining within the wall, used to pad it out. However, it can have extremely negative effects on breathing. That is why if it is discovered, your landlord will need to have it removed by specialists.

How could I get hurt from asbestos?

Asbestos is an extremely useful substance, due to the fact that it is made of materials that are soft enough to resist heat, corrosion and electricity. However, this exposure to these substances are what make it so toxic to humans. The particles of Asbestos are extremely strong. That means that if they get trapped within the body, there is no way for them to actually escape. This means there’s a high chance that they could cause the following physical damages:

The real danger of asbestos comes from “friable” dust. Friable means that the asbestos can be very fragile. Ultimately, if it does end up breaking that means the fibres will be released into the air. That means they’re more likely to be inhaled through the nose and mouth. This is why if you end up having repair work on an older house, and a builder drills or disturbs the structure of the house, it is more likely that asbestos will enter the air. If your landlord refuses to help sort out these damages, you should start looking into housing disrepair claims.

What could make it more likely that I develop a personal injury from Asbestos?

If you are suffering from housing disrepairs due to Asbestos, your chance of a personal injury could be heightened by three factors. These are:

• The duration of exposure to the Asbestos
• Your smoking status
• Your age

Unfortunately, for those who are young, it is more likely that they will develop Mesothelioma due to the fact that the fibres can spend longer in the lungs, meaning that there is more chance of damage. The same goes for those who smoke due to the fact that the lung tissue is weakened. It means that it is more likely for tissue tears to occur.

Asbestos can be classified as a housing disrepair if your landlord has refused to help have it removed, or sort out the process to have you put in suitable accommodation whilst the repairs are made. If engineers do need to go over and sort out the Asbestos, you will need to have your belongings moved as well. After all, they may suffer from damages if they are left inside the house. In addition to this, fibres from the asbestos could attach to them and you could unintentionally move them from one place to another.

When you discover asbestos in your home, it’s crucial that you speak to your landlord as quickly as possible. After all, this is a housing disrepair emergency! Your landlord should work with you to find alternative accommodation whilst the repairs in your home are being made. If they fail to do this, they ignore your requests for help, or they ask you to finance the damages, this could be classified as a sign of negligence. This is when you need to start looking into Housing Disrepair Claims.

How could I be eligible for Housing Disrepair Compensation?

If you want to file a Housing Disrepair Claim, your claim has to fall into one of three damage categories. You can fall into more than one, so make sure to alert your solicitor if you believe that you could be owed a large amount of compensation due to your damages. These categories are:

Once you have decided to make a Housing Disrepair Claim, it’s important that you speak to your solicitor about your eligibility. They can make an assessment of your damages and start the compensation process by getting in contact with your landlord. They can also send over a triage assessor to come make a formal assessment of the disrepairs in your house. The assessor will then take you through the following process:

It’s important that you follow this process to ensure that you get the highest amount of compensation possible. The amount of compensation you are owed will depend on the extent of your damages. If you have been a victim of negligence, you could be owed a higher sum than someone who has only experienced a few damages. The amount of time needed to make your claim will also vary, depending on the complexity of your claim and whether or not your landlord is willing to co-operate. Speak with your solicitor to receive personalized advice about how you can move forward with your claim. Housing Disrepair Claims may seem daunting but you will feel more secure having an experienced lawyer on your side.

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors about Housing Disrepair Claims

Housing Disrepair Claims are there to protect you if you are a victim of landlord negligence. That’s why it’s crucial that you speak to Gowing Law Solicitors about your claim to find out more how much compensation you could be owed for your damages. We can offer you free advice and consultations to get you started. If you are happy to work with our team of specialists, we will work with you on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will always come out on top as there will be no hidden fees. Instead, you will only have to pay your solicitor if they win your case for you!

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors today by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our claim’s checker. One of our solicitors will then be in contact to answer any additional questions you may have. Feel free to contact them at any time.

Learn more about Housing Disrepair Claims

Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we update our blog every week with brand new content. This is usually about legal claims, updates about our law firm, seasonal events and the occasional competition/giveaway. You can send in your suggestions for our blog at any time by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be more than happy to write about your questions. Feel free to also follow our social media by clicking on the buttons below.

We look forward to seeing you in our blog.

Housing Disrepair Claims are there to protect you if your house is suffering from damages. These damages are the responsibility of your landlord to fix. After all, it is their council house or property from the housing association. As you are the renter, you have the right to live in your property without there being any disrepairs that could interrupt your general routine or cause damage to you or your belongings. Now that the world has started to open up after the lockdown, your landlord has a responsibility to ensure that your home is good condition. That way you are not put in a dangerous situation that could affect the health of you and any other residents in the building.

It is essential that your landlord understands their responsibilities towards you as their tenant. They have a “duty of care” towards you to ensure that their property does not injure you and remains in a good condition. That way you can feel comfortable and happy in your home. If you feel as if your landlord is guilty of negligence, and ultimately is ignoring the disrepairs in your home, it may be time to make a Housing Disrepair Claim. You can do this by getting in contact with Gowing Law Solicitors by calling 0800 041 8350 or by visiting our Housing Disrepair Claims website below:

What is my landlord responsible for in my house?

When you live in any type of council house or property from the housing association, it’s important to understand that your landlord is responsible for the majority of it. After all, you do not own the property yourself. Instead, you need to understand that your landlord has the contract to your home. That means that they need to adhere to a “duty of care” to ensure its upkeep. You cannot live in a house that is full of disrepairs. This would mean that your landlord is acting negligent. Take a look at the list below to get a better idea of what your landlord could be responsible for inside and outside of your property:

As you can see, your landlord is responsible for a wide range of items both inside and outside of your property. This includes any furniture that is located in the garden, on a balcony or inside the rooms of the house. Keep in mind that you can only make a housing disrepair claim for this type of property if you still live inside the council home. This is due to the fact that you and your landlord are under contract. Your landlord is still bound to help you if there are any type of housing disrepairs that appear in your home. If they refuse to help, or worse ask you to pay for the disrepairs yourself, then this could prove their negligence. This is when you need to start looking into Housing Disrepair Claims.

How could my landlord act negligently?

When you move into any type of council house or property from the housing association, it’s important that it is in a good habitable condition when you move in. If you notice anything that is in need of repair or maintenance, you need to inform your landlord as quickly as possible. This should be through electronic correspondence/phone calls as well as through a written correspondence. Your landlord should be allowed some time to get the repairs assessed and sorted. Keep in mind that this may entail them visiting your home to check out the damages and assess whether or not they need an engineer to fix them. During this time you may need to inform them about any type of damage to your belongings. That way they can be replaced quickly.

Unfortunately, there are times when your landlord may not act in your best interest. Instead of focusing on repairing the damages in your home they may act negligently, and not address your concerns. Landlords may try to fix the damage by the cheapest means possible, and on some occasions this can result in shoddy work that can make problems worse. This could also put you at risk of a personal injury. Worse still, your landlord may try to demand that you pay for the repairs. All of these possibilities are examples of negligence. If you experience any of them, it is time to consider a housing disrepair claim.

Could I be eligible for a Housing Disrepair Claim?

If your landlord has failed to help you in relation to your disrepairs, it’s time to make a Housing Disrepair Claim. The purpose of a housing disrepair claim is to push your landlord into making the necessary repairs, as well as to have them pay compensation for any injuries or damages that have been inflicted upon you or your belongings. There are three categories of damages that your claim could fall into. These include:

It’s important to keep in mind that you could fall into more than one of these categories when it comes to your disrepair. For instance, let’s say that you ended up having a mould problem. The mould could make it impossible for you to visit a certain area of the house, as well as destroy any clothes you keep near it. If you suffer from breathing difficulties, the mould could make them worse. As you can see, this covers all three categories of disrepair. If you think you suffer from different types of housing disrepairs, let your solicitor know as quickly as possible. They can advise you on how you can move forward with your claim, as well as the amount you could be owed from your compensation.

What happens when I start any type of housing disrepair claims?

If you have decided to undertake a Housing Disrepair Claim, the first thing you should do is contact an experienced team of solicitors. Gowing Law Solicitors have specialists who can provide you advice on how to move forward with your claim. The first thing your solicitor will do will ask you about your housing disrepairs in general. This includes how long your landlord has left them for and what actions you have already tried to take. They will also want more details about the property and will then contact a triage assessor to have a look at the damages and make a report. They will provide you with a helpful leaflet to disclose as much information as possible about making a housing disrepair. It will include this helpful chart about what you should expect in the upcoming weeks:

You can ask your solicitor any questions that you may have about your claim. This includes an estimate of how much compensation you could be owed and how long the claim may take. Your solicitor will be working with your landlord on a settlement agreement. That way you can have your compensation and repairs sorted at the same time.

Speak to Gowing Law Solicitors about Housing Disrepair Claims

Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we endeavour to help our clients all over the UK to get the repairs needed to live comfortably in their homes. We also want to get them the compensation that they deserve for living so long with so many disrepairs. We can do the same for you! Our specialists can offer you personalized consultations and advice to get you started. If you are happy to work with our team, we can offer you our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will never have to pay any hidden fees. Instead, you will only need to pay our solicitors if they win your case for you. Therefore, no matter what the outcome, you will always come out on top!

Contact our law firm today! That way you can get started on your Housing Disrepair Claim. Call 0800 0414 8350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or visit our claims checker or LiveChat for quick help!

Learn more about Housing Disrepair Claims

Here at Gowing Law, we update our blog every week with new legal content. Not only do we write about UK law, we also write about updates about our law firm, seasonal events and the occasional competition/giveaway. If you have a question you would like to see explored on our blog, feel free to send your suggestions to info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be more than happy to write about them! You can also follow our social media feeds, including our Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, to find out what we have been up to recently.

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog!