When you’re renting a council or housing association property, you expect repairs to be handled quickly. Unfortunately, that’s not the experience for many tenants. We speak to people every week who have been ignored for months — sometimes even years — after reporting serious problems like damp, mould, leaks, faulty heating, cracked walls, or electrical issues.
Most tenants report a repair and assume it will be sorted straight away. But in reality, council housing repairs are often delayed, dismissed, or completely overlooked. Living in a home with ongoing disrepair can affect your health, your belongings, and your day-to-day life.
Below is a real example of how badly things can go wrong and how quickly things can be put right when the right support is involved.
Caroline’s Story: Mould, Damp, and Months of Being Ignored
When the Problems Started
Caroline had been living in her council flat for almost three years. From the outside, everything looked fine, but inside her home the black mould kept returning no matter how many times she cleaned it.
It began on the bedroom ceiling, then spread around the windows, and before long around 20% of the room was discoloured. Even her clothes started to smell damp.
Like anyone would, she reported the issue and expected a quick fix. Instead, nothing happened.
Complaints Ignored
Every time she contacted the council, she was told someone would look into it — but nobody ever did. The mould kept coming back because the source of the issue wasn’t inside the flat at all. It was structural.
Over the months, more problems appeared:
- Cracks in the bathroom walls
- Cold draughts through the windows
- Damp patches spreading across the rooms
Caroline felt stuck. She knew something was seriously wrong, but the landlord simply wasn’t taking action.
Learning About Housing Disrepair Claims
Caroline eventually mentioned the situation to a friend, who told her about Housing Disrepair Claims. She had never heard of them before and was nervous to get involved. But her friend reassured her that:
- It’s risk-free
- It’s completely legal
- A landlord cannot evict you or raise your rent for reporting genuine issues
That’s when Caroline reached out to Disrepair Support.
How Disrepair Support Helped Her
We spoke to her for a few minutes to fully understand the situation, then asked her to send around 20 photos of the mould, cracks and damp patches. From there:
- We prepared her case
- Our solicitors gave her a quick call to confirm everything
- Documents were emailed to her to sign
- A certified surveyor visited the property to gather evidence
Once the surveyor’s report was submitted, everything changed overnight. The same landlord who had ignored her for months suddenly became very responsive and apologetic.
Repairs Completed and Compensation Awarded
The root cause turned out to be:
- Cracked brickwork on the outside of the building
- A chimney that needed repointing
These faults allowed water to seep inside the walls, causing the mould to spread.
The repairs were finally done properly, and Caroline received compensation for:
- Damage to her belongings
- The impact on her health
- The stress and inconvenience she had been living with
A Safe, Dry Home at Last
A few months later, Caroline’s flat was completely transformed.
The walls were dry, the rooms were warm, and for the first time in years she felt comfortable living in her own home. She even started having friends round again — something she had avoided because she was embarrassed by the damp smell and stains.
Caroline now tells everyone she wishes she had started her housing disrepair claim much sooner.
If You’re Living With Damp, Mould or Other Disrepair Issues We Can Help
If your landlord isn’t taking your repair requests seriously, you don’t have to suffer in silence. Issues like mould, leaks, cracks and electrical problems only get worse if they’re ignored, and they can seriously affect your health.
Our team can guide you through the process from start to finish and help you get:
- The repairs completed
- Independent inspection
- Fair compensation for the impact the problems have had on your life
Council housing repairs shouldn’t take years.
Disrepair Support make sure you get the help you need quickly and safely.
