Landlord refusing repairs? Here’s what you can do
Living with broken heating, mouldy walls, or a leaky ceiling can feel unpleasant and distressing. If your landlord is refusing repairs, you’re not alone, and this is a common problem which is affecting tenants living in rental homes across the UK. Many renters find themselves stuck in homes that are deteriorating whilst the landlord disregards the problem.
There are constructive measures you can take to ensure that your rights as a tenant are upheld and respected. When dealing with a landlord refusing repairs, knowing what these rights are is important.
The following article will delve deeper into your rights as a tenant and the appropriate steps you can take if you are experiencing a landlord refusing repairs in your home.
Your basic rights as a tenant
If you’re renting a property, whether it’s from a private landlord, the council, or a housing association, your landlord has a legal duty to keep your home in a liveable condition.
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord is supposed to:
- Keep the building structurally sound
- Ensure plumbing, heating and electrics are all operational
- Deal with damp, mould, and pest issues
- Repair anything that poses a risk to your health and safety
If something breaks or becomes unsafe, they can’t just ignore it. If your landlord is refusing repairs, that represents a breach of their legal responsibilities.
Common Problems Landlords Try to Avoid Fixing
Some repairs cost more than others, and quite frankly, some landlords are reluctant to spend the money. In cases involving landlords refusing repairs, these are common examples of complaints that we receive from tenants:
- Damp and mould: Not only is its appearance unsightly mould can also trigger asthma, allergies, and even affect your mental health.
- No heating or hot water: Not having access to these things would be particularly bad during winter.
- Leaky roofs or windows: This could cause severe structural damages as well as posing a risk to your health
- Broken electrics: Flickering lights, dodgy sockets, or exposed wires represent a serious health hazard
- Pests: Landlords have a duty to deal with infestations adequately
What actions can you take?
When your landlord is refusing repairs, these are some of the steps that you can take:
1. Tell them in writing
Firstly, contact them in writing and give clear details about the nature of the problem and any impact this may be having on both the property and your own wellbeing. This could be via email or letter. Include photos if possible. And most crucially, keep a record of this interaction as you may need to refer to it later.
2. Give them a reasonable deadline
Legally, landlords should deal with urgent repairs quickly (like heating, leaks, electrics), usually within a few days. Non-urgent stuff like cosmetic damage might take a little longer, but you shouldn’t be waiting months.
Landlords refusing repairs is a common problem, even despite when they receive multiple notifications. If they don’t respond within 14-28 days (or sooner if it’s urgent), that’s not acceptable.
3. Keep a log of everything
Start collecting your evidence:
- Take pictures of the issue
- Keep copies of all correspondences which includes emails / texts sent
- Write down the dates you contacted them and what they said (if anything)
This will all help if things end up going further.
4. Get the council involved
If their response has been unsatisfactory, then it may be time to get your local council’s Environmental Health team involved.
They can send someone round to inspect your property. If they find serious issues, they can force the landlord to do the repairs and where applicable, issue fines.
5. Make a formal complaint
If you’re renting from the council or a housing association, you can also raise a formal complaint through their complaints process. If that doesn’t work, you can escalate it to the Housing Ombudsman.
6. Take legal action
Taking legal action is often the next step when your landlord is still refusing repairs. One benefit of this approach is that there is no financial risk.
You could be entitled to:
- The repairs finally getting done
- Compensation for the hassle and damage (especially if your belongings were ruined or your health was affected)
You can speak to a solicitor who deals with housing disrepair claims, most work on a no win, no fee basis, so you won’t have to pay unless you win the case.
What kind of compensation can you get?
Tenants who find themselves dealing with a landlord refusing repairs may be entitled to compensation. What you could be entitled to claim will depend, because every case is unique. Some of the things you may be able to claim for are:
- Damage to your belongings (clothes, furniture, electronics, etc.)
- Health problems caused by (or made worse) by disrepair (like asthma or stress)
- Living in unsuitable conditions
Every case is different, but if the property you live in has been in a poor condition for a long time despite trying to engage with your landlord to get it fixed, you could be owed hundreds, or even thousands of pounds.
What happens if a landlord keeps ignoring repairs?
If your landlord still refuses to fix the disrepairs, even after being instructed by the council or after legal action has been taken, they can face:
- Court orders
- Heavy fines
- Being forced to pay compensation
- A serious hit to their reputation as a landlord
Remember, they have a legal responsibility. A landlord refusing repairs should be held accountable.
Don’t suffer in silence. Get help
If you’re living with repairs that just aren’t getting sorted, you are not alone. This situation is a familiar story for tenants across the UK who are dealing with landlords refusing repairs. In most cases, just waiting around and hoping your landlord will do the right thing doesn’t work. The likelihood is that they will delay doing the repairs for as long as possible.
We help tenants every day who are dealing with damp, mould, leaks, no heating, and worse. At Disrepair Support, we’ll listen to your situation and connect you with a solicitor who can handle the whole claims process.
You won’t pay a penny upfront, it’s no win, no fee. And we’ll make sure you get the help and compensation you’re owed.
Need help?
If you live in a home where your landlord is refusing repairs, please drop us a message or give us a ring. We’ll talk through your case and let you know what your next steps are.