How housing disrepair solicitors can help council home tenants who face poor living conditions
Council houses are meant to provide an environment of safety and comfort for its residents. This can feel problematic when a leaky roof, mould or faulty heating quickly makes your home feel like an unpleasant place to be in. After raising the issue to the council, they either refuse to take action or ignore your concerns.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone and you don’t have to tolerate it any longer. As a tenant, you have legal rights, and there are ways to ensure that these rights are upheld and respected. Housing disrepair solicitors play a central role in asserting these rights for tenants.
At Disrepair Support, we work with people in exactly the same situation as you. We team up with housing disrepair solicitors who can help you raise legal disputes against uncooperative landlords. If you feel like you are being forced to endure poor living conditions in your home, and nothing is getting done about it, we can help get things moving, whether that’s getting the repairs sorted or claiming compensation for all the stress it’s caused. The housing disrepair solicitors that we work with specialise in these cases and can give you all of the support that you need along the way.
What are you actually entitled to?
If you’re renting from the council or a housing association, the law is on your side. Your landlord has a legal duty to keep your home in a decent condition and ensure it is properly maintained.
Two key laws cover this:
- The Housing Act 1985
This piece of legislation underscores the legal responsibilities of councils in relation to the management of rental properties. By law, they must:- Make sure your heating, water and electrics are working safely
- Fix damp and mould problems
- Ensure that the buildings framework is sufficiently maintained and managed
- Fix anything that could be a risk to your health or safety
Failing to oversee these duties competently would represent a breach of their legal requirements. Our network of housing disrepair solicitors can help you take legal action if these responsibilities are continually neglected.
- The Housing and Planning Act 2016
This legislation grants you further rights as a tenant. This law states that:- Homes must be kept safe and liveable
- If repairs aren’t done within a reasonable time, tenants have the right to take legal action
- Tenants may be entitled to compensation
Common issues we hear about
Here are some of the most common problems council tenants deal with:
- Damp and mould. Not just unpleasant, but seriously damaging to your health (especially for kids and people with asthma).
- Leaks and water damage. If water gets in, this could have very bad implications.
- Broken heating or hot water. During wintertime this be especially unpleasant and dangerous.
- Electrical faults. Dodgy wiring, lights that keep flickering, sockets that spark – all of these factors pose a risk to your safety.
- Pests, rats, mice, cockroaches, if you identify an infestation, it is not your responsibility to resolve it.
- Cracked walls or structural issues.
If you’ve reported any of these issues and no action has been taken – it may be time to seek legal advice. In cases like this, housing disrepair solicitors can evaluate the conditions of your home as well as the response of the council since they were notified about the problem. Then, they can advise you on your options.
What role can we play?
That’s where we come in.
At Disrepair Support, we help council tenants who’ve been ignored and let down by their landlords. We work alongside housing disrepair solicitors who specialise in similar cases to what you find yourself in. They have significant experience in dealing with councils who are refusing repairs and a track record of delivering tangible results for tenants.
Here’s how it usually goes:
- Tell us what’s been happening: We’ll have a quick chat, listen to what’s going on, and give you a detailed advice about whether you’ve got a case.
- If you do, we’ll pass it to one of our legal partners: They’ll take over and start building your case.
- You don’t pay a penny up front: There is no financial risks as the housing disrepair solicitors we work with don’t charge a fee unless you case is successful
- You get proper support: The solicitor deals with the council, chases up repairs, and if needed, helps you claim compensation.
But is this really worth doing?
If you find yourself stuck in a home that’s making you ill, keeping you up at night, or damaging your stuff then it is certainly worth it. Housing disrepair solicitors can help you achieve measurable outcomes, which include improving the living conditions in your property as well as compensation if its applicable.
You deserve to live somewhere safe. And if your landlord’s failed to properly maintain your home as they are legally obliged to, you might be entitled to compensation for the stress, inconvenience, or even health issues it’s caused.
Ready to take the next step?
If you’re fed up, you’ve given them more than enough chances, and you just want it sorted, we’re here.
📞 Please contact us and give us a call or send us a message. We’ll offer our advice and support and help you get things moving. By working alongside housing disrepair solicitors, our goal is to make sure tenants feel safe in their homes.