What do housing disrepair solicitors do?

Housing disrepair solicitors help tenants take legal action where their landlord has failed to meet their responsibilities for maintaining a rented property. This may involve damp, mould, leaking roofs, faulty heating, plumbing defects or other conditions affecting the home. A solicitor can assess the circumstances, review evidence and advise whether a housing disrepair claim may be appropriate. Depending on the case, a claim may seek repairs, compensation or both.

Can I make a housing disrepair claim against my council?

Council housing disrepair claims may be possible where a local authority has failed to carry out repairs for which it is legally responsible. Examples include persistent damp and mould, water leaks, defective heating systems and structural problems. Whether you have a valid claim depends on the nature of the defects, the council's legal obligations, its knowledge of the problems and the steps taken to address them.

Can I claim against a housing association for disrepair?

Housing association disrepair claims may be available to tenants whose housing association has failed to address repair problems covered by its legal responsibilities. If you have reported damp, mould, leaks, heating problems or other defects and the issues remain unresolved, you may wish to obtain legal advice. A housing disrepair solicitor can assess the available evidence and explain whether there are grounds to pursue a claim.

Can I claim compensation for damp and mould in my home?

Damp and mould claims may be possible where the problems arise from conditions for which your landlord is legally responsible. For example, persistent mould caused by water penetration, leaks or structural defects may form the basis of a claim. The presence of damp or mould does not automatically establish landlord liability. The cause, the landlord's responsibilities and the individual circumstances must be considered.

How much housing disrepair compensation could I receive?

Housing disrepair compensation depends on the individual circumstances of the claim. There is no fixed amount payable for a particular repair problem. Relevant factors may include the seriousness and duration of the disrepair, the rooms affected, the loss of enjoyment of your home and any financial losses directly resulting from the problems. Compensation may include general damages for inconvenience and loss of amenity, together with special damages for proven financial losses.

Can I make a No Win No Fee housing disrepair claim?

Some housing disrepair solicitors offer No Win No Fee arrangements, usually through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under this type of agreement, whether you pay legal fees depends on the terms of the agreement and the outcome of your case. No Win No Fee does not necessarily mean there is no financial risk. You may still be responsible for certain expenses, insurance premiums or other costs. Your solicitor should explain the funding terms, possible deductions and potential liabilities before you proceed.

What evidence do I need for a housing disrepair claim?

Evidence can help establish the condition of your home, when the landlord became aware of the defects and how the disrepair has affected you. Useful evidence includes photographs or videos of the defects, emails or letters to your landlord, repair requests, inspection reports, receipts for damaged belongings or expenses, and a record of when the problems began. Not every claim requires all these documents. Housing disrepair solicitors can advise on the evidence relevant to your case.

Do I need to report disrepair before making a claim?

In many housing disrepair claims, it is important to establish that the landlord knew, or should have known, about the problems and had an appropriate opportunity to address them. You should normally report repair problems promptly and keep a record of communications. However, the position depends on the type of defect and the landlord's legal obligations. A lack of written complaints does not automatically prevent a claim.

How long does a housing disrepair claim take?

The time required to resolve housing disrepair claims varies depending on the circumstances. Some claims can be resolved through negotiations with the landlord. Others require independent inspections, further evidence or court proceedings. The landlord's response, disputed issues and the repairs required can all affect the timescale. No particular timeframe or outcome can be guaranteed.

Can I claim for damaged furniture and belongings?

You may be able to recover financial losses where belongings have been damaged as a direct result of housing disrepair for which your landlord is legally responsible. This could include furniture, clothing, carpets or other possessions affected by damp, mould or leaks. Compensation is generally assessed according to the actual loss suffered. An item's age, condition and value may be relevant, and full replacement costs are not automatically recoverable.

Can I claim after my landlord has completed the repairs?

It may still be possible to make a housing disrepair compensation claim after the repairs have been completed. Whether compensation is recoverable depends on the circumstances, including any previous breach of duty, the duration of the problems, their effects and applicable legal time limits. Completing repairs does not necessarily resolve a claim for losses already suffered.

How do I start a housing disrepair claim?

If your council or housing association has failed to address repair problems, you can begin by seeking advice from housing disrepair solicitors. An initial assessment will normally consider the property, the defects, when they began, whether they were reported and how they have affected you. If there are potential grounds for a claim, a solicitor can explain the legal options, likely costs and possible next steps. Submitting an enquiry does not guarantee that a claim will be accepted or that compensation will be recovered.

complaints - Housing disrepair Solicitors.co.uk

1. Our Commitment to You

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients.

We recognise that there may be occasions when our service does not meet your expectations. If something has gone wrong, including a concern about our fees or a bill, we encourage you to contact us.

We take complaints seriously and aim to investigate concerns fairly, promptly and transparently.

Our complaints procedure is free.

You will not be charged for raising a complaint or for our investigation into it.

2. How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint in writing, including by letter or email.

To help us understand your complaint and investigate it effectively, please provide:

Your full name and contact details.
Your case or file reference number, if available.
Details of what you believe has gone wrong.
Any relevant dates, documents or correspondence.
What you would like us to do to resolve your complaint.

If you need assistance in making your complaint, please let us know and we will try to help.

3. Who Should You Contact?

Speak to the person handling your matter

In the first instance, you may find it helpful to discuss your concerns with the person working on your case.

We will try to resolve any difficulties at this stage wherever possible.

Contact the supervising solicitor

If you do not feel comfortable raising the matter with the person handling your case, you may contact the person responsible for supervising it.

Their details should be included in your client care letter.

Contact our Complaints Department

If you are unable to resolve your concerns through those channels, or would prefer to make a formal complaint, please contact:

Complaints Department

Veritas Solicitors LLP

compliance@veritassolicitors.co.uk

4. How We Handle Your Complaint

When we receive a complaint, we follow an internal complaints handling procedure.

Record your complaint

We record your complaint centrally so that it can be reviewed and monitored.

Acknowledge your complaint

We will write to you within five working days to acknowledge your complaint and provide a copy of this policy.

Investigate your concerns

We will review your complaint, relevant documents and case files, and speak with the person who handled your matter where appropriate.

Request further information

We may ask for additional information or documents needed to investigate your concerns.

Keep you informed

We will provide updates about the progress of our investigation at appropriate times.

Provide our response

We will write to you with the outcome of our investigation and explain any action we propose to take.

We may invite you to a meeting to discuss the complaint where appropriate. You are not required to attend, and we can discuss the matter by telephone instead.

5. How Long Will It Take?

We aim to handle complaints as promptly as possible.

Within 5 working days

We aim to acknowledge your complaint in writing.

Within 21 days of acknowledgement

Where possible, we aim to complete our investigation and send you our response.

After 8 weeks

If your complaint has not been resolved, you may be eligible to refer it to the Legal Ombudsman.

If we need additional time to investigate, we will keep you informed about the progress of your complaint.

6. What If You Are Not Satisfied?

If you are dissatisfied with our response, please let us know so that we can review the matter.

If we have issued our final response and you remain dissatisfied, or if we have not resolved your complaint within eight weeks, you may be able to refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman.

The Legal Ombudsman is an independent organisation that considers eligible complaints about legal services.

Legal Ombudsman time limits

Generally, a complaint must be referred:

Within six months of receiving our final complaint response;
Within one year of the act or omission complained about; or
Within one year of when you should reasonably have become aware there was cause for complaint.

The Legal Ombudsman will determine whether your complaint falls within its jurisdiction and any applicable time limits.

Legal Ombudsman

Telephone: 0300 555 0333

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Postal address:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

7. What Will It Cost?

We will not charge you for handling your complaint.

If we have issued an invoice for work already undertaken, any outstanding fees and applicable interest may remain payable in accordance with the agreed terms.

The Legal Ombudsman service is free of charge to eligible complainants.

8. Concerns About Our Conduct

If you have concerns about a solicitor's conduct, you may be able to report the matter to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Examples of conduct concerns may include:

Dishonesty or fraud.
Misuse of client money.
Serious breaches of professional rules.
Discrimination or other serious misconduct.

The SRA deals with professional conduct and regulatory concerns, whereas the Legal Ombudsman generally considers complaints about the standard of legal services provided.

You can report concerns directly to the SRA:

Report a solicitor to the SRA

Need to raise a complaint?

Contact our Complaints Department and explain your concerns. We will review your complaint in accordance with this policy.

Email Complaints Department