Damp, mould or repairs your landlord keeps fobbing off?
Housing disrepair is when a landlord fails to keep your home in a state of repair after notice. Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 they must repair the structure, exterior and core services. If they have not, you can claim compensation and a court order forcing repairs.
Reviewed by Sannah Khatoon — litigation & housing disrepair solicitor.
SRA #654258 · Admitted 2018 · Verify on SRA register
What’s wrong with your home?
Tick everything that applies.
How long has it been a problem?
91%
of 323 housing disrepair cases concluded between January 2024 and December 2025 settled with damages.
£1,500–£15,000
Typical damages range we see, depending on severity and duration of the disrepair.
No Win, No Fee
Most clients pay nothing up front and nothing if the claim is unsuccessful.
Source: Abrahams Solicitors internal case management data, January 2024 – December 2025. Figures available on request. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
The basics
What is housing disrepair?
Housing disrepair is the legal term for when a landlord — whether a council, housing association, or private landlord — fails to keep a rented home in a reasonable state of repair after a tenant has reported a problem. It applies whether you are an assured shorthold tenant, a secure council tenant, or an assured tenant of a housing association.
The starting point is Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. This places an automatic legal duty on the landlord to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the property (walls, roof, windows, drains) and the installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating, and hot water. The duty cannot be contracted out of, even if your tenancy agreement says otherwise.
For tenancies granted or renewed after 20 March 2019, you also benefit from Section 9A of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. This requires that the property is fit to live in at the start of the tenancy and throughout — covering damp, mould, ventilation, drainage, water supply, structural stability, and natural light.
A claim arises when (a) you have given the landlord notice of the disrepair (verbal counts but written is far stronger), (b) a reasonable time to fix it has passed, and (c) they have not done so. The remedy is a court order forcing repairs plus damages — typically calculated as a percentage of rent paid during the disrepair period, plus special damages for ruined belongings, increased bills, or personal injury.
Your legal rights
The four statutes that protect you
Every housing disrepair claim is built on a clear set of legal rights. We cite the source so you can verify it yourself.
Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
Landlord must keep in repair the structure and exterior, and installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating and water heating.
Section 9A, Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
Property must be fit for human habitation at the start and throughout the tenancy — covering damp, mould, ventilation, heating and structural stability.
Decent Homes Standard (gov.uk)
Minimum standard for social housing — meet statutory minimum, be in reasonable repair, have reasonably modern facilities, and provide thermal comfort.
Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims (England)
The court-set process all housing disrepair solicitors must follow before issuing proceedings — notice, surveyor inspection, response window, then settlement or court.
What we claim for
Disrepair we routinely take on
These are the categories of disrepair that most often lead to a successful claim. If your problem isn’t listed, call us — many of our wins are in less-obvious areas.
Damp and mould claims
Compensation and repairs for prolonged damp, condensation, and black mould affecting health or property.
Heating and hot water failures
Claims for boilers, radiators, and hot water systems left in disrepair through winter.
Roof and ceiling leaks
Damage from roof leaks, missing tiles, or persistent ingress that the landlord has failed to fix.
Faulty wiring and electrics
Unsafe sockets, exposed wiring, fire risk and electrical disrepair claims.
Structural disrepair
Cracks, subsidence, unstable plaster, and structural defects that the landlord is responsible for.
Pest infestations
Rats, mice, cockroaches, and bed bug infestations resulting from disrepair or unfit conditions.
The process
How a housing disrepair claim runs
The Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims sets the steps every solicitor must follow. Here’s what to expect from our side.
01
Free 30-min assessment
We listen, ask about evidence, and tell you honestly whether you have a claim worth pursuing.
02
Letter of claim served
We serve a formal letter of claim on the landlord with a list of disrepair under the Pre-Action Protocol — they then have 20 working days to respond.
03
Independent surveyor
We instruct a chartered surveyor to inspect the property and produce a Schedule of Works — costs covered by the case, not by you.
04
Negotiation or court
Most cases settle without court — typically within 6 to 12 months. If the landlord won’t engage, we issue proceedings and seek an injunction forcing repairs.
Questions we get asked
Housing disrepair FAQ
Direct answers in plain English. If yours isn’t here, ring us — we don’t charge to ask a question.
0203 051 7823Be informed
Should you go to the Housing Ombudsman or a solicitor?
Both routes have their place. Here’s an honest comparison so you can decide — or do both, which is what most of our clients end up doing.
Housing Ombudsman
- Free service for tenants of social landlords (council/HA)
- Investigates complaints about complaint handling and service failure
- Cannot force repairs to be carried out
- Average compensation around £600
- Does not cover private landlords
Solicitor-led claim (Abrahams)
- No Win, No Fee for most clients
- Court order forcing repairs (binding)
- Damages typically £1,500 – £15,000+
- Covers council, housing association and private landlords
- Specialist solicitor handles everything
Real outcomes
Recent housing disrepair clients
Names used with the client’s permission. Outcomes are case-specific — your result will depend on your facts.
“Sannah took on my case after the council ignored damp and mould reports for two years. She got the repairs done and £8,400 in compensation. She kept me in the loop the whole way.”
Aisha R.
Tower Hamlets
“I'd reported a leaking roof six times to the housing association and nothing happened. Abrahams sent a surveyor, served notice and within four months the roof was fixed and I had £6,200 in damages.”
Michael O.
Bradford
“My daughter's asthma was getting worse from the black mould. Sannah handled everything — surveyor, GP records, Pre-Action Protocol — and we settled for £11,300 plus all repairs.”
Priya K.
Newham
“Honest from day one — they said the claim was strong but explained what could go wrong. Settled in nine months with no court hearing. £4,950 plus a new boiler.”
Daniel S.
Leeds
“I'm a single mum and was scared to take my landlord to court. The Abrahams team made it feel manageable. Repairs done, £3,800 compensation, and I'm still in the flat.”
Rasheeda M.
Bradford
“Private landlord ignored a dangerous electrical fault for 18 months. Solicitor served notice, got an emergency injunction, then £5,600 compensation. Quick and professional.”
Tomasz W.
Croydon
Pricing — be honest with me
What does this actually cost me?
For most housing disrepair clients the answer is: nothing up front, and nothing if the claim is unsuccessful.
Read the full breakdown of every fee and how the No Win, No Fee agreement works on our fees page — no jargon, no hidden costs.
View All FeesNo upfront cost
We start work without asking you for money.
Success fee capped at 25%
If we win, our fee is taken from your damages — capped at 25%, never more.
Surveyor & disbursements
Covered by the case — we pay these out as the claim progresses.
ATE insurance
After-the-Event insurance covers your opponent’s costs if the case is unsuccessful.
Legal Aid first if eligible
We always check Legal Aid eligibility — if you qualify, the case runs at no cost to you.
Your Solicitor
Three SRA-regulated solicitors. Direct access.
Imran Shah
Immigration & Litigation Solicitor
Imran handles immigration and litigation cases that need methodical preparation and clear strategy.
SRA #509359
Humaira Anjum
Immigration & Litigation Solicitor
Humaira walks families through every stage of immigration and litigation matters with calm, careful guidance.
SRA #663190
Sannah Khatoon
Litigation & Housing Disrepair Solicitor
Sannah recovers damages and forces repairs in housing disrepair claims — usually on no win, no fee.
SRA #654258
No Win, No Fee
Stop chasing your landlord. Start getting it fixed.
Spend 60 seconds telling us what’s wrong — a specialist solicitor will call you back within the hour with a free, honest assessment.
Abrahams Solicitors · SRA #809071 · https://www.abrahamssolicitors.co.uk/housing-disrepair/