Understand your rights

Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, all rented homes must be safe, healthy and free from serious hazards — at the start of the tenancy and throughout it. This applies to all tenancies in England (since March 2019) and covers damp & mould, structural problems, broken boilers, drainage issues, vermin infestation and more.

It is your landlord's responsibility to repair damage to your property. You can read more about your rights as a tenant here.

Document the disrepair

Take clear photos and videos, and make detailed notes — including the dates the problems first appeared. Without dated evidence, it's harder to prove how long you've lived with the disrepair, which can affect the compensation you may be eligible to receive.

• Damp or mould
• Broken heating systems
• Leaky roofs or pipes
• Unsafe electrical wiring
• Cracked walls or windows
• Drainage issues
• Vermin or insect infestation

Report it to your landlord in writing

Email or write to your landlord with a clear description of the issues, attach your photos and videos, and ask when the repairs will be completed. If the issue is urgent — no heating or hot water, dangerous electrics, a major leak — phone them as well.

Give your landlord a reasonable amount of time to respond — 14 days is usually plenty. Keep a record of everything you send; it directly supports your claim.

If they don't respond, complain formally

If your landlord refuses to make the repairs or doesn't respond at all, make a formal complaint in writing, and again give them a reasonable time to reply. Keep copies — a paper trail of being ignored strengthens your case.

Start your housing disrepair claim

If you hear nothing back after a formal complaint, this is the point to get legal support. We'll explain the whole process and exactly what we need from you — typically your photos and videos, your written correspondence with your landlord, and health or medical records if the disrepair has caused illness or injury.

The outcome: repairs and compensation

If your claim succeeds, your landlord is required to carry out the repairs within a set timeframe — and you may also receive compensation for the inconvenience, damage to your belongings, and any health issues caused.

Compensation depends on the rent you pay, the severity of the disrepair, how long you've lived with it, and any rent arrears. It's usually calculated as a percentage of rent: around 25% for mild issues (e.g. damp & mould in one room), around 50% for widespread disrepair affecting day-to-day life, and up to 100% where a home is completely uninhabitable.