Living with serious housing disrepair can affect your health, safety and peace of mind. Whether you are dealing with damp, mould, leaks, broken heating, unsafe electrics, pest problems or structural issues, you should not feel that you have to simply put up with poor conditions. If you rent your home, your landlord has legal responsibilities to keep the property in a reasonable state of repair.
If your landlord has ignored repeated messages or failed to deal with the problem properly, it may be time to take a more structured approach. Getting advice from a solicitor who offers Housing Disrepair Services London can help you understand your position, protect your evidence and decide what steps to take next.
The issue is not a small one. The English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025 reported that around 1.4 million dwellings in England had a problem with damp in 2024. Damp was more common in the private rented sector, affecting around 10% of private rented homes. For tenants in London, where rent can easily cost over £1,500 per month depending on the area and property size, it can feel deeply unfair to pay high rent while living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions.
Understand what counts as serious housing disrepair
Housing disrepair means your rented home has repair problems that your landlord is legally responsible for fixing. Some problems may be inconvenient but minor. Others can become serious because they affect your health, safety or ability to live comfortably in the property.
Common examples include:
- Damp and mould
- Water leaks from roofs, pipes or neighbouring properties
- Broken or unsafe heating systems
- Electrical faults
- Faulty plumbing or drainage
- Rotting windows, doors or flooring
- Pest infestations caused by structural defects
- Cracked walls, ceilings or unsafe stairs
- Broken locks or security issues
- Poor ventilation causing ongoing condensation and mould
A landlord is usually responsible for the structure and exterior of the property, heating and hot water systems, plumbing, sanitation, gas and electrical safety, and any repair issues caused by defects in the property itself. You are normally responsible for using the property in a tenant-like manner, reporting problems promptly and allowing reasonable access for inspections and repairs.
Tell your landlord in writing
If the problem is serious, do not rely only on phone calls or casual conversations. You need a written record showing when you reported the issue and how your landlord responded.
Send an email, letter or message that clearly explains:
- What the problem is
- Where it is in the property
- When you first noticed it
- How it affects your daily life
- Whether it affects your health or safety
- What action you want the landlord to take
- A reasonable deadline for response
For example, if there is mould in a child’s bedroom, explain whether it is spreading, whether clothing or furniture has been damaged, and whether anyone in the household has asthma, breathing issues or allergies. If the boiler has stopped working in winter, explain that you have no heating or hot water and that the issue needs urgent attention.
Keep your tone firm but polite. Avoid exaggeration. Your aim is to create a clear paper trail.
Keep strong evidence from the start
Evidence is extremely important in housing disrepair cases. If your landlord later says they were not aware of the problem, or that the issue was caused by you, your records can make a major difference.
You should keep:
- Photos and videos of the disrepair
- Copies of emails, letters, texts and WhatsApp messages
- Dates and times of phone calls
- Notes of what was said during conversations
- Medical evidence if the disrepair affects your health
- Receipts for damaged belongings
- Reports from contractors, surveyors or environmental health officers
- Rent payment records
Take photos regularly, not just once. For example, if damp or mould is spreading, weekly photos can show how the condition has worsened over time. If there is a leak, video footage can help show the scale of the problem.
If your belongings have been damaged, such as a mattress, carpet, clothing, furniture or electrical items, take photos and keep receipts or replacement cost estimates. Compensation may sometimes include damage to possessions, inconvenience and distress, depending on the circumstances.
Give reasonable access for inspections and repairs
Your landlord or their contractor will usually need access to inspect and repair the problem. You should cooperate with reasonable requests, as refusing access could weaken your position.
However, access should usually be arranged with proper notice, except in a genuine emergency. Try to confirm appointments in writing. If a contractor does not attend, make a note of the missed appointment. If repair work is incomplete or poor quality, take photos and write to the landlord explaining what remains unresolved.
If the landlord repeatedly sends someone to inspect but no actual repair work follows, keep a record of each visit. This may help show that the landlord knew about the issue but failed to act properly.
Report serious hazards to your local council
If your landlord ignores you, you may be able to report the issue to your local council’s private rented housing or environmental health team. Councils can inspect rented homes and may take enforcement action where there are serious hazards.
This can be particularly useful where the disrepair creates a risk to health or safety, such as severe damp and mould, dangerous electrics, lack of heating, structural hazards or pest infestation linked to defects in the building.
The council may contact your landlord, inspect the property or serve a notice requiring repairs. This can put additional pressure on the landlord to act. Keep copies of any council correspondence or inspection reports, as these can also support your case if you later need legal advice.
Do not stop paying rent without advice
It can be tempting to stop paying rent when your landlord refuses to carry out repairs. However, this can be risky. If you fall into rent arrears, your landlord may try to take possession action against you.
In many cases, it is safer to continue paying rent while you pursue the repair issue through proper channels. If you are considering withholding rent, paying for repairs yourself and deducting the cost, or taking any action that affects your tenancy, get legal advice first.
Even if the property is in poor condition, rent arrears can complicate your case. A solicitor can help you understand the safest way to proceed.
Know what you may be able to claim
If your landlord has failed to deal with serious disrepair after being notified, you may be able to ask for more than just the repair work. Depending on your situation, a housing disrepair claim may include:
- An order requiring the landlord to carry out repairs
- Compensation for distress and inconvenience
- Compensation for damaged belongings
- Compensation linked to loss of enjoyment of your home
- Possible health-related compensation where medical evidence supports it
The value of a claim depends on the seriousness of the disrepair, how long it lasted, how much of the property was affected and how it impacted your daily life. For example, a minor leak in one cupboard is very different from severe mould across bedrooms, living areas and bathrooms.
Compensation is not automatic. You need evidence, a clear timeline and proof that the landlord knew or should have known about the issue.
Be careful with mould and damp arguments
Damp and mould cases can sometimes become disputed because landlords may argue that the issue is caused by tenant behaviour, such as not opening windows, drying clothes indoors or not heating the property enough.
However, damp and mould may also be caused by structural issues, leaks, poor insulation, defective windows, rising damp or inadequate ventilation. You should not accept blame automatically.
To protect yourself, record how you use the property. For example, note whether you use extractor fans, open windows where possible, heat the home reasonably and avoid blocking vents. If mould continues despite reasonable use, this may support your position that the problem is linked to the property itself.
Get legal advice if the problem continues
If your landlord keeps ignoring you, delays repairs for weeks or months, carries out poor-quality temporary fixes, or blames you unfairly, legal advice can help you move the matter forward.
A solicitor can review your tenancy, evidence, repair history and landlord correspondence. They can explain whether you may have a valid claim, what evidence is missing and what steps should be taken before court action is considered.
This can be especially important if you are worried about retaliation, eviction threats, rent arrears, damaged belongings or health problems caused by the condition of the property.
Take action before the problem gets worse
Serious housing disrepair rarely improves by itself. A small leak can become ceiling damage. Damp can turn into mould. Faulty heating can become a major health risk during colder months. The longer the issue continues, the more disruptive and expensive it may become.
You should report the issue early, keep everything in writing, gather evidence and seek advice if your landlord does not respond properly. You have the right to live in a home that is safe, secure and fit to occupy.
If your landlord is ignoring serious housing disrepair, Atalaw Solicitors can help you understand your rights and the next steps available to you. Contact the team today for clear, practical legal advice about your housing disrepair matter.
