What even is Housing Disrepair? – A guide for Gen Z

Alright, so if your house is literally falling apart—like, we’re talking leaks, mouldy vibes, broken radiators, or even dodgy electrics—that’s called housing disrepair. Your landlord’s job is to fix all that, but if they’re out here ghosting you or just leaving things to rot, you’ve got rights to sue and maybe even get some serious cash for all the hassle.

Your rights (aka, why you don’t gotta put up with this)

If your landlord’s letting the place turn into a dump, they’re straight-up breaking the law. Here’s the tea:

  1. Landlord’s gotta keep your place liveable: By law, they’re on the hook to make sure the building doesn’t collapse on you. This means they gotta fix the structure, make sure there’s no wild leaks, and keep your gas, water, and electricity on point.
  2. Fix it fast: If stuff breaks down, your landlord can’t just hit snooze. They need to pull up and sort it ASAP—like yesterday if it’s serious, and definitely no longer than a couple of weeks if it’s not.
  3. No petty evictions: If you start making noise about repairs and they try to boot you out? Nah, that’s illegal. You have every right to stay and get what you’re owed.
  4. You could get a bag: If your landlord’s seriously slacking, you can hit them where it hurts—compensation. Like, they might have to pay up for all the stress, damage to your stuff, or making you live in conditions that are just plain nasty.

When can you sue?

Not every situation is a lawsuit, but if your landlord is moving like they don’t care, you can absolutely sue. Here’s when you can take them to court:

  • They’re taking forever: If you’ve been DM’ing, emailing, or straight-up telling them about the issues for a hot minute and they’re still MIA, it’s time to lawyer up.
  • It’s wrecking your vibe: If your health’s taking a hit (hello, mouldy air or freezing cold rooms) or you’re living in a literal safety hazard, you’ve got every right to take them to court.
  • Your stuff’s getting wrecked: If your things are being ruined by leaks, mould, or whatever other nonsense, that’s money you could be claiming.

How to take your landlord to court (let’s get litigious)

So, your landlord’s ghosting you, and you’re ready to make them pay. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Hit ‘em up first: Send your landlord a message or email (save those receipts!) and tell them exactly what’s busted. If they act clueless later, you’ve got proof you told them ages ago.
  2. Give them some time: Landlords get a little grace period to fix stuff (but like, don’t let them drag it out). If it’s something major, they need to move FAST. If it’s just annoying but not dangerous, they’ve got a few weeks.
  3. Call in the big guns: If they’re still snoozing, get your local council to come through and inspect the place. They’ll see the mess and drop a Notice of Disrepair on your landlord, forcing them to fix up.
  4. Take them to court: If nothing changes, it’s time to take it to the next level. You can sue for:
    • Getting stuff fixed.
    • Compensation for damage to your belongings or because your living conditions were trash.
    • Any cash you spent fixing stuff yourself because your landlord didn’t.
  5. Lawyers on deck: Get yourself a solicitor (aka lawyer) to handle the messy legal stuff. Depending on your situation, you might even get legal aid—free legal help to get you through this.

How much could you get?

Time to talk numbers! If you win, here’s what you might get:

  • Damages to your stuff: If your clothes, furniture, or tech got trashed by leaks or mould, your landlord could owe you big time.
  • Health problems: If your house made you sick—like you got asthma from all the dampness—you could claim for that too.
  • Inconvenience: The stress of living in a busted place? You could get some cash just for that.

Keep yourself covered

Don’t wanna end up in this situation again? Here’s how to keep things under control:

  • Stay on your landlord’s neck: The second something’s broken, let them know—keep all evidence in writing (DMs, emails, whatever). That way, if they slack, you’ve got receipts to back you up.
  • Get help early: If your landlord’s ghosting, don’t wait forever. Call your council or hit up a solicitor before things spiral.

So…

  • If your house’s a mess (leaks, mould, broken stuff), your landlord legally HAS to fix it.
  • If they’re dragging their feet, you can sue and maybe even get that compensation.
  • You gotta report the problem, wait for them to fix it, and if they don’t, take ‘em to court.
  • You could get paid for damage to your stuff, health issues, or just for having to live in a dump.

So yeah, don’t just sit there letting your landlord play you. You’ve got rights, and you can make them pay (literally) if they don’t fix up.

GLP Solicitors: We are here to help you

We are a specialist law firm and have been providing top-quality legal services to clients throughout the UK since 1970. Over the years, we have helped our clients recover millions of pounds in compensation.

Our unique experience and skillsets set us apart from other law firms, enabling us to resolve disputes swiftly and obtain the best solutions for tenants facing property disrepair issues.

We are dedicated to ensuring that you receive the compensation you are entitled to.

Did you like this article? Try reading “A step by step guide to making your housing disrepair claim.”