A tenant living in a house that is in a state of disrepair in the UK has a right to compensation. By law, the landlord must maintain the property. Landlords failing to adhere to the rules of housing disrepair can even be subjected to a claim.
Housing disrepair refers to the unlivable and unsafe conditions of a house rented out to a tenant. These conditions can be anything from mould to electrical issues. As defined by the law, anything that can cause a financial burden, health issues or inconvenience to the tenant is deemed to be housing disrepair.
Can I claim compensation for the inconvenience?
Tenants can put forth a claim for compensation to the relevant authorities or association. If the landlord rejects the tenant’s compensation claim, then a case can also be filed in court.
Tenant Compensation for Inconvenience
Tenant compensation for inconvenience caused by the landlord due to neglect and disrepair is a right of a tenant. Here is a list of inconvenience that can be incurred by a tenant living in a house that is in disrepair:
- Damage to Belongings
- Health Risks
- Disruption to Daily Life
- Financial Loss
- Stress and Anxiety
Each of these categories reflects how housing disrepair can affect a tenant’s life, health, and finances, providing grounds for seeking appropriate compensation.
Landlords are legally obligated to provide safe and livable conditions to the tenant. They can be held accountable for the housing disrepair, and legal action should be taken against them for the inconvenience caused to the tenant.
Going to court should be a last resort, as it will be costly for the tenant and the landlord. The matter should be brought up with the landlord and then the association related to the housing community. Only if a failure to reach an agreement at these steps should a tenant move to court.
You can also learn how to sue housing association for negligence.
Evidence and Documentation
Evidence must be collected to strengthen the claim’s case before raising your concerns with the relevant authorities.
- Proof of correspondence between the tenant and the landlord about the disrepair is the first step. These can include screenshots of the conversations that are timestamped.
- Proper documentation of the damage should be done to create a stronger compensation case. Pictures and videos of the disrepair and the monetary damage caused by it can be included in this.
- Medical bills incurred by the tenant because of the disrepair should be documented to strengthen the case.
Calculating Compensation
Compensations are based on the damage’s severity and the disrepair duration. A certain percentage (25%-50%) is decided based on the damages’ severity, multiplied by the rent collected during the disrepair period.
Let’s say a house has been in disrepair for six months with faulty wiring and a rent of £1500. The compensation can be calculated by taking 25% of the rent 1500 x 25% = 375 and multiplying it by the duration of disrepair, six months 375 x 6 = £2250.
To calculate the tenant compensation for inconvenience for a house that has been in disrepair for a year with mould and a rent of £1000, take 50% of the rent of £500 and multiply it with the duration £500 x 12 = £6000.
Conclusion
A tenant has the right to live in a well-maintained property up to the standards set forth by the housing disrepair law. Should I ask my landlord for compensation? The landlord must maintain safety standards for their tenants. Failing to do so warrants a swift response by the tenant in the form of seeking compensation.
If you are living in a house that is being neglected by the landlord and is in disrepair, then you should take matters into your own hands and file a complaint or a lawsuit. This case will lead to swift repairs and compensation for the distress and inconvenience that was caused by the disrepair.