Housing Disrepair Success Stories – Disrepair And Damages
The Housing Team at Hodge Jones & Allen have been defending the rights of tenants since 1977 and we understand how your life can be turned upside down when a landlord refuses to carry out repairs to your home.
With this blog series, each week we plan to share the details of another successful settlement to show tenants that help to is available to get results and gain compensation.
This week’ Housing Disrepair case is as follows:
We previously represented our client, Ms M, in a claim for disrepair and damages. The disrepair included leaking from our client’s bathroom, causing damp to penetrate the children’s bedroom. The case was settled in November 2021 with an agreement to pay damages of £10,000 and move our client and her family to permanent alternative accommodation. The landlord, a large housing association, had up to 3 months to provide suitable permanent accommodation by making 3 direct offers of accommodation to our client. They failed to even provide 1 offer in this time.
After trying to chase and give the landlord further time to comply with the order, we represented Ms M in bringing an enforcement action against her landlord. At the hearing the Judge ordered that the landlord must provide alternative accommodation to our client within 6 weeks, and in any event, no later than 10 weeks. The Judge also attached a penal notice to the order, meaning that if there was a further failure by the landlord to comply with the order, an officer of the landlord could be held in contempt of court resulting in a fine or even imprisonment. The Judge also ordered indemnity costs in recognition of the landlord’s poor behaviour.
Our Housing Team is ranked tier 1 by Legal 500 and Chambers UK legal directories. The team are seen as an industry leader in social housing law. Dedicated to providing exceptional service for all of its clients in disrepair, possession and homelessness. The Housing Team are recognised for their advancement of the law in high profile cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
