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.

Privacy Policy - Housing disrepair Solicitors.co.uk

1. Introduction

We take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected, used, stored and shared when you visit housing-disrepair-solicitors.co.uk, submit an enquiry or use our legal services.

It also explains your rights under UK data protection law and how you can contact us about your information.

We process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Who We Are

The data controller identified in this policy is:

Veritas Solicitors LLP

Website: housing-disrepair-solicitors.co.uk

Email: compliance@veritassolicitors.co.uk

As data controller, we determine the purposes and means of processing personal information for which we are responsible.

3. Personal Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with our website and the nature of your enquiry or legal matter.

Information you provide

Your full name and contact details.
Your email address and telephone number.
Your residential address and postcode.
Details of your council or housing association landlord.
Information about the disrepair affecting your property.
Details of when and how you reported problems to your landlord.
Photographs, documents and correspondence supporting your enquiry.
Other information you choose to provide through our forms or communications.

Information relating to legal services

If we agree to act for you, we may collect further information relevant to your instructions, including:

Identity verification information and documents.
Tenancy agreements and housing records.
Financial information where relevant.
Medical information where relevant to your claim.
Expert reports and supporting evidence.
Information required to comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

Website and technical information

When you use our website, technical information may also be collected, such as your IP address, device information, browser type, pages visited and interactions with the website.

Some information is necessary to provide our services. If requested information is not supplied, we may be unable to assess your enquiry or proceed with particular services.

4. How We Collect Your Information

We generally collect personal information directly from you when you:

Submit an enquiry through our website.
Contact us by telephone, email or another communication channel.
Send us documents or evidence.
Instruct us to provide legal services.
Communicate with our team about an existing matter.

We may also obtain information from relevant third parties, public records, professional advisers, experts or other organisations where lawful and necessary for your matter.

5. How and Why We Use Your Data

We use personal information only where there is an appropriate lawful basis under data protection legislation.

Purpose	Lawful basis
Responding to your enquiry and considering your case	Taking steps at your request before entering into a contract, or legitimate interests, as applicable
Providing legal services	Performance of a contract and compliance with legal obligations
Verifying identity and complying with professional requirements	Compliance with legal obligations
Managing enquiries, records and communications	Legitimate interests and contractual necessity, as applicable
Maintaining website security and preventing misuse	Legitimate interests and legal obligations, as applicable
Sending marketing communications	Consent or another lawful basis where legally permitted

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether those interests are overridden by your rights and freedoms.

6. Sensitive Personal Information

Some housing disrepair enquiries may involve information about your physical or mental health, particularly where you describe how the condition of your property has affected you.

Health information is special category personal data and receives additional protection under UK data protection law.

Where we process special category information, we will identify an applicable lawful basis and a separate condition for processing under the relevant legislation. This may include information necessary for establishing, exercising or defending legal claims, or processing based on explicit consent where appropriate.

8. Marketing Communications

We may provide information about legal services or updates that may be relevant to you where permitted by law.

Where consent is required for marketing communications, we will request it separately.

You may opt out of promotional communications at any time by using the unsubscribe instructions provided or contacting us.

Opting out of marketing will not prevent necessary communications relating to an enquiry or legal matter.

9. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate essential features, remember preferences, analyse usage or measure advertising performance.

Where required, non-essential cookies and tracking technologies will only be used after the appropriate consent has been obtained.

Further details about the cookies used on this website should be provided in our Cookie Policy .

10. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting relevant legal, professional and regulatory obligations.

Retention periods may differ depending on whether you made an enquiry, became a client or were involved in legal proceedings.

When information is no longer required, we will take appropriate steps to delete or anonymise it.

11. International Data Transfers

In some circumstances, personal information may be processed outside the United Kingdom, including through third-party technology and service providers.

Where a restricted international transfer takes place, we will use an appropriate legal transfer mechanism and safeguards as required by applicable UK data protection law.

You may contact us to request further information about relevant safeguards.

12. Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on the circumstances, you have rights under UK data protection law, including:

Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
Rectification: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information where the law permits.
Restriction: Request that processing be restricted in certain circumstances.
Data portability: Receive certain information in a portable format where applicable.
Objection: Object to processing in certain circumstances, including direct marketing.
Automated decisions: Exercise relevant rights concerning qualifying solely automated decisions.

Your right to object

You have the right to object at any time to processing your personal data for direct marketing purposes.

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details provided in this policy. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

13. Keeping Your Information Secure

We use appropriate organisational and technical measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration and disclosure.

Access to personal information is restricted to authorised individuals who require it for legitimate purposes.

We maintain procedures for identifying and responding to personal data breaches, including making notifications where required by law.

14. Complaints About Your Data

If you have concerns about how we process your personal information, please contact us first so we can consider your concerns.

You also have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to our practices, legal requirements or the services we provide.

The most recent version will be published on this page together with its date of update.