Housing Disrepair Success Stories – Thousands Awarded to Client Dealing With Mould & Damp
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 make 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.
We were instructed to deal with a case involving serious housing disrepair, which included a leak from the balcony, causing water ingress and extensive damp and mould. The landlord failed to investigate the origin of the water ingress. The damp and mould was so severe that one of the bedrooms was not usable.
It is an implied term of the tenancy agreement, pursuant to Section 11 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 that her landlord would keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling house and the installations therein for the supply of gas, water, electricity, sanitation and space heating.
We prepared a detailed Letter of Claim which was sent to the landlord. In addition, instructions were prepared and sent to an independent surveyor to attend the property and provide a report on the conditions of the property.
Upon receipt of the surveyor’s report, an updated Letter of Claim was sent to the landlord. Our Housing Team issued proceedings against our client’s landlord for an order for specific performance, damages and costs.
The claim was defended however the parties agreed to instruct a drainage expert to carry out the appropriate tests to identify the source of the leak. The drainage expert identified the cause of the issue and what follow up repairs were required.
Our clients landlord agreed to carry out all necessary works, pay compensation and pay her legal costs.
The parties agreed upon terms of settlement including completion of the works, payment of damages of £5,000 within 21 days and payment of our clients legal costs.
Siddiq Fazaluddin is a Senior Associate in our leading Housing Team (ranked tier 1 by Legal 500 and Chambers UK legal directories). Siddiq’s own specialist housing skills and expertise are also recognised by the leading legal directory, the Legal 500. Siddiq has earned a reputation for acting for vulnerable clients and obtaining prompt and favourable outcomes for his clients.
If you need help with housing disrepair, you can try our housing disrepair compensation calculator or talk to our housing law specialists today. Call us on 0808 291 1437 or request a call back.
