By making a Housing Disrepair Claim, you are looking to hold your landlord responsible for the damages in your council home or accommodation from the housing association. Right now, the English Housing Association has stated that there are 76,814 homes in the UK that are at a “non-decent” standard. If your house falls into this category, and your landlord has done nothing to repair the problems, you could be eligible for compensation. Working with an experienced law firm, like Gowing Law Solicitors, can help you get the pay-out that you deserve. The question is- Are you ready to take the first step?
If you are planning on making a Housing Disrepair Claim, it’s crucial that you get the best legal advisor possible to help you move forward. Gowing Law’s expert Housing Disrepair Claim solicitors can prepare you for the assessment of your home and help you understand the claims process. That way you can feel confident and good about getting your repairs sorted in a timely manner.
To find out more about Housing Disrepair Claims, call Gowing Law Solicitors today on 0800 041 8350 or find out more by visiting our website below:
What is my landlord responsible for in my house?
Before you make any type of housing disrepair claim, it’s important to understand why your landlord is responsible for your home is in the first place. As your landlord is the person who owns the property, they will be the one who needs to pay for repairs. You are not responsible for the repairs because you are only renting the accommodation. Instead, you are only responsible for keeping the house in clean condition and in reasonable repair. If anything does break, you need to tell your landlord as quickly as possible to ensure that it is fixed. Your landlord is responsible for the following:
As you can see, what was listed is the majority of the internal and external structures of your property. Of course, it entirely depends on the size of your house, what sort of rooms you have, whether or not you have an outdoor space and what sort of furniture has been left within the property. Either way, if you have noticed a disrepair then it’s up to your landlord to have it fixed. If they fail to do so then they could be guilty of negligence.
How could my landlord be guilty of negligence?
If your have suffered from the negligence of your landlord, it is most likely it is due to the fact that your landlord has delayed the repairs for your claim. Now, it’s important that you give your landlord enough notice to get the repairs sorted them. Try not to be impatient as they may need to come around to your home and assess the damages themselves. They will then need to get a repair worker to come in and try and fix the damages. However, if you have been patient and your landlord has still left your disrepairs to get worse, then they could be guilty of negligence and neglect.
Examples of how your landlord could be guilty of negligence include:
You could be eligible to make a Housing Disrepair Claim if you have found that your landlord has not helped the situation. That’s why it is crucial that you keep evidence that you have tried to correspondence with your landlord about the problems in your home. This includes a copy of the letter you sent and any future correspondence between both of you. That way if your landlord has tried to force you to pay for the disrepairs, or has not fulfilled the obligation of fixing your repairs in a timely manner, you could show that they have tried to push you into something that was not your responsibility to fix.
How can I be eligible for a Housing Disrepair Claim?
Now that you understand that your landlord is responsible for fixing the repairs in your home, it’s crucial that you understand why you could be eligible for compensation. Just like any other personal injury claim or tax claim, the compensation will be provided if you have experienced damages. Similarly, for housing disrepair claims, there are three categories of damages that you could fall into. These include:
Keep in mind that when it comes to these types of categories, you can fall into more than one of them. For instance, let’s say that your bedroom is suffering from a mould problem. You may have ended up sleeping somewhere else to avoid it. This is an example of inconvenience. As you have asthma, the mould may have made it worse and you required additional assistance from the doctor. This is a personal injury. At the same time, the mould in your bedroom spread to your wardrobe and damaged your clothing. This is an example of damage to personal belongings.
When you speak with a solicitor, let them know what exactly has been damaged in your home. This can help them understand the extent of your case and how much compensation you could be potentially owed.
What should I expect if I am going to make a Housing Disrepair Claim?
The first thing you should do with any type of Housing Disrepair Claim is to speak to a solicitor. You will need to provide them your evidence and let them know the specifics of your claim. From there, they can start to organize the triage assessor to look over your house and check out the damages. Keep in mind that your solicitor will also inform your landlord that you intend to make a Housing Disrepair Claim. That way they can repair their own assessor to look into the damages. You should never keep your landlord in the dark about your housing disrepair claim. Instead, give them time to prepare. That way the proper steps can be taken to go through your claim and ensure that an accurate settlement agreement and repair schedule can be sorted.
To get a better idea about what to expect from your visit with Gowing Law’s triage assessor, you will be provided a leaflet that contains all of the essential information about what will happen after the visit. This includes these helpful steps about how we will move forward with your case:
As you can see, our solicitors will be working at the same time as the repair workers and your triage assessor to get you the compensation that you deserve. We understand that it’s equally important that you get a pay-out, as well as your repairs sorted. That’s why we will do our best to monitor the situation and ensure that any problems are taken care of quickly. This includes negotiating the settlement agreement with your landlord and filling out any tricky paperwork. You will always be informed about the latest decisions that are made in relation to your claim. Feel free to ask any questions at any time.
How long will it take to make a Housing Disrepair Claim?
Honestly, the length of your claim will depend on the complexity of your case. You can only make a claim if you still live in the residence. So make sure you start your case before you move out. With that said, you will have four years to make your claim from the time your disrepair was discovered. That’s why it’s crucial you speak with a solicitor as soon as possible to get started. The pandemic may also have an affect on your case due to the recent court delays and lockdowns. Your solicitor can give you a timeline of what to expect. However, keep in mind this may change if the circumstances of your case become more complicated.
Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your Housing Disrepair Claim
Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we are determined to help our clients all over the UK with their Housing Disrepair Claims. We know that it can feel frustrating to wait for the repair work to be completed in your home. That’s why we want to make sure that you get the help you need as quickly as possible. Not only can we offer you free advice and consultations, if you decide to work with our team of specialists, we can offer our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will always come out on top because you will never have to pay any hidden fees. You will only need to pay our solicitors if they win your case for you.
Phone our law firm today by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our claim’s checker. One of our specialists will then be in touch. They will ensure that all of your questions are answered. That way you can move forward with your case
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