Do I Need to Have Reported the Problem Before Claiming?
Yes, in most cases you do need to have reported the problem to your landlord before making a housing disrepair claim. This is because your landlord must be given a fair opportunity to fix the issue before further action is taken.
If the problem hasn’t been reported, the landlord can argue they were not aware of it, which can weaken your claim. That said, many tenants across Birmingham and the UK have already reported issues multiple times before deciding to take things further.
Why Reporting the Issue Is Important
Reporting the disrepair creates a record that:
Shows the landlord was aware of the issue
Confirms how long the problem has been ongoing
Demonstrates that repairs have not been carried out
This is a key part of the housing disrepair claim process, especially in cases involving landlord refusing repairs or delays in council housing repairs.
What Counts as Reporting the Problem?
You don’t need anything complicated. Reporting can include:
Emails or text messages
Phone calls (if noted down)
Online repair requests
Letters sent to your landlord
Even informal communication can help support your housing disrepair claim, as long as it shows the issue was raised.
What If I Reported It More Than Once?
If you’ve reported the issue multiple times and nothing has been done, this actually strengthens your case.
This is very common in situations involving:
Black mould in rental property
Ongoing damp and condensation
Housing association complaints
Council housing disrepair
Repeated reports with no proper fix can show a clear pattern of delay or inaction.
Example of a Strong Case
A tenant in Birmingham had been dealing with damp and black mould in their bedroom and living room for over 6 months. They had reported the issue several times through their housing association’s repair system and also followed up with emails.
Despite this, only temporary cleaning was carried out, and the mould kept returning.
The tenant had:
Screenshots of repair requests
Emails chasing updates
Photos showing the mould getting worse over time
Because the issue had been clearly reported and not properly resolved, the housing disrepair claim was strong. Once action was taken, the landlord arranged full repairs to fix the root cause of the damp, and the tenant received housing disrepair compensation for the time they had been living in those conditions.
What If I Haven’t Reported It Yet?
If you haven’t reported the issue, the best step is to do this as soon as possible.
Make sure you:
Clearly explain the problem
Keep a copy of the message
Take photos at the same time
Once the issue has been reported, you can begin building your case if repairs are not carried out within a reasonable time.
Final Thoughts
Yes, reporting the problem is an important part of making a housing disrepair claim. It shows that your landlord was aware of the issue and had the opportunity to fix it.
If you are dealing with issues like black mould in a rental property, ongoing damp, or a landlord refusing repairs, making sure the problem is reported properly puts you in a much stronger position to take action and potentially claim compensation for disrepair.