Housing Disrepair Claims can be extremely stressful to sort out on your own. Not only do you need to deal with your landlord, but you will have to live in a council home that is simply not suitable to be lived in by you or your family. The worst thing that could happen during this time is if you suffer a personal injury due to the condition of your home.
It is your landlord’s responsibility to ensure that your home is in a state of decent repair. That means all of the essentials are in working order and there is nothing that could pose a threat to you or anyone who is working in the home. If you suffer from a personal injury due to the condition of your council house, you could be owed compensation for your damages. This is where Gowing Law Solicitors can step in to help you with your Housing Disrepair Claim.
Find out more about making a Housing Disrepair Claim with our law firm by calling 0800 041 8350 or by visiting our website below:
What is classified as Housing Disrepair?
If you live in a council home or a property provided by housing association, your landlord has the responsibility to ensure that your home is in a habitable condition for both you and your family. Your landlord is in charge of any repairs that occur both inside and outside the property. Not only are they in charge of the essentials, such as gas, water, electricity and sanitation, but they need to make sure that the security, fire safety training and overall structure of the building is taken care of.
If the building falls into a state of disrepair, your landlord is financially responsible to get the right engineers involved to have it sorted. Now that the lockdown is easing, there is no reason why they should not be communicating with you about repairs. If they ignore your complaints and you end up getting hurt, you could be owed compensation for your damages.
You may be feeling a little confused about what could be classified as housing disrepair. That’s why we have created a quick case study to get better idea about what these types of claims are all about. Take a look below for more information:
As you can see, John was not responsible for the damages in his home. His landlord did not help him and therefore was liable to pay compensation. You could do the same thing if you have experienced any of the following housing disrepairs in your home:
- Malfunctioning gas, sanitation, electricity, heating or water systems
- Holes or damage to the roof or house’s structure
- Damp or mould problems
- Broken essential items (like toilets, showers, ovens or your fridge)
- Broken windows or doors
If you need additional assistance working out your own eligibility, speak to your housing disrepair claims lawyer. They can help you figure out whether or not it is worth pursuing your claim.
What could make me eligible for Housing Disrepair Claims?
When it comes to housing disrepair claims, it’s important that you establish that your solicitor is guilty of negligence. That means they have ignored their “duty of care” towards their tenants. Instead, they are expecting their tenants to use their own finances to fix the damages. This should not happen. Instead, they should be the ones paying for the damages to the council property as they are the ones who are renting it out to you. If they refuse to do this then you could be owed compensation if it has had an effect on your daily life or quality of life in general.
There are three main categories that you claim could fall under when it comes to its eligibility. These are personal injuries, damage to belongings and inconvenience. Take a look at the infographic below to get a better idea about each category:
The best way to discern what type of claim you are dealing with, in relation to Housing Disrepair Claims, is to look through your damages. In some cases, it may be a combination of all three of them. For instance, you may have slipped up due to the water from a leak, and the leak may have also damaged your furniture. Your solicitor can help you build up a solid case to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve.
Personal Injury Claims and Housing Disrepair
One of the biggest categories that could make you eligible for Housing Disrepair compensation is in relation to injuries suffered due to problems in your council housing. When it comes to any type of personal injury claim, the claim will be based on the damages you have experienced. The main type of damages are physical damages. These are physical injuries that you have suffered, including broken bones, internal bleeding, and damage to organs or loss of limb, sight, teeth or hearing. However, you can also claim for emotional damages, financial damages, loss of opportunity and technology damages.
If the disrepair of your home has caused you to get hurt then you could be eligible for compensation. The negligence of your landlord has caused you to get into an accident that was not your fault. Some examples of these accidents can include:
- Slipping up on puddles or faulty flooring
- Impalement through exposed pieces of the floor, wall or furniture
- Toxic inhalation of gas from faulty systems
- Exposed nailing or structures causing bleeding, cuts or large wounds that need stitches
- Burns from explosions or faulty equipment
The first thing you should do if you get hurt is to call an ambulance for medical help. That way you can be checked over by a specialist and ensured that your injuries are not any worse than they may have initially appeared to be. You should then focus on collecting evidence to build up your case. This includes photographs, videos, witness statements, police reports, medical reports, receipts and correspondence with the other party. This includes speaking to your landlord about the issues your home is experiencing.
How long do I have to make Housing Disrepair Claims?
The length of every housing disrepair claim is different. It depends on the complexity of the claim, as well as the co-operation of your landlord. You will have around 3 years, from the time of the disrepair happened, to make your claim. So, make sure to get in touch with a solicitor as quickly as possible. The longer you give your solicitor, the more likely that they will build you a solid case and will not rush your claim. They will always do their best to keep you involved and updated about the latest information about your case. That way you can relax and wait for an outcome without any pressure being on your shoulders.
Gowing Law Solicitors is here to help with your Housing Disrepair Claims
Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we are determined to help as many people as possible all over the UK with their housing disrepair claims. It can be extremely traumatic to be injured in your own home. Worse still, you may not even feel safe to go back to your residence. That’s why we want to get you the compensation you deserve to help you recover. We can offer you free advice and consultations to get you started. If you are happy to proceed with your claim, we can offer our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will never need to pay any hidden fees. Our lawyers will only asked to be paid if they win your case. Therefore, you will always come out on top.
Speak to us today by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our claim’s checker. One of our law firm’s specialists will then be in contact to help you with your claim and to answer your questions.
Learn more about Housing Disrepair Claims
If you still have some questions about Housing Disrepair Claims, make sure to visit our blog for more information. We update it every week with new legal topics, seasonal events and information about our law firm. You can also send in your blog suggestions to info@gowinglaw.co.uk. Make sure to keep an eye on our blog and social media for our latest competitions and giveaways. You could be winner if you follow us.
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