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Housing Disrepair Birmingham: Know your tenant rights!
Call our helpline on 0800 098 2791
Last year, our helpline supported over 56,700 households, including hundreds across Birmingham, Solihull, Sandwell, Walsall, and surrounding areas.
Tenants Advice is a claims management company serving the West Midlands. While you can make a claim for free using the Housing Ombudsman Service or pursue it yourself, we offer expert support
Housing Disrepair in the West Midlands & Landlord Responsibilities
For tenants throughout the West Midlands, housing disrepair is unfortunately a common issue and cases have been growing in recent years. ‘Housing Disrepair’ means that your landlord has failed to maintain your rental property in a safe, healthy, and habitable condition.
Landlords have distinct legal obligations to ensure your home is fit for purpose. Their responsibilities include:
Structure Maintenance
Landlords are legally responsible for maintaining the structure and exterior of their rented properties, including roofs, walls, windows, and drainage.
Ensuring Essential Services
Landlords must ensure essential services like gas, electricity, heating, hot water, and sanitation (baths, toilets) are in good repair and proper working order.
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Common Disrepair Issues Affecting Properties in Birmingham.
Many properties in Birmingham, particularly Victorian terraces and older flats, predate modern insulation and ventilation standards. This often makes them more vulnerable to problems such as rising damp, water damage, general poor maintenance, and structural issues.”
You could be eligible to claim for housing disrepair if your home has any of the below issues.
Rising Damp and Mould
Leaks and Water Damage
Rotten Windows and Doors
Pest Infestations (rats, mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, etc)
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The Results We Deliver.
Dangerous, exposed light fitting.
Fully repaired wall.
Replastered wall.
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Why Choose Tenants Advice for Your Housing Disrepair Claim?
If you’re dealing with housing disrepair in West Midlands, you need a team that understands your local challenges and is committed to your well-being. At Tenants Advice, we pride ourselves on:
Expert Local Knowledge
Our team possesses a deep understanding of West Midlands, the housing landscape and common disrepair issues.
Dedicated Support
We offer empathetic and dedicated support, clearly guiding you through your claim from start to finish.
Stress-Free Process
We make, what can be a complex claims process as straightforward as possible, so you can prioritise your well-being.
Expertise & Resources
At Tenants Advice, we have a team of experts to act on your behalf, advocate for your rights, and achieve a successful resolution.
Questions We Often Hear from Tenants in Birmingham.
If you haven’t found the answer you were looking for in our FAQ’s below, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly. We’re here to assist you!
help@tenantsadvice.co.uk
Does my tenancy agreement affect my right to claim?
The type of tenancy agreement you have can affect your rights and responsibilities. Generally speaking, if you do not have exclusive use of any part of a property, you have a license to occupy. If you have exclusive use of part or the whole of the property, you are likely to have an assured or short-hold tenancy agreement.
Our experienced team of advisers can help you establish your rights with regards to your individual circumstances. Simply complete our online claim enquiry form to establish your right to make a claim.
What legal obligations does my landlord have?
Your landlord is under no obligation to improve your property, however, they are legally required to carry out repairs in order to maintain the property and ensure your safety.
They are specifically responsible for: The structure and exterior of the premises; Water pipes and instillations relating to water usage – such as baths, sinks, drainage systems and toilets; Gas pipes and electrical wiring; Heating systems (excluding cookers);
Will I be entitled to compensation?
If you have a valid claim for housing disrepair, aside from compelling the landlord to repair your property, you can also claim compensation for:
- Inconvenience caused;
- Damage to personal property;
- Personal injury or ill health resulting from the disrepair – including respiratory illness caused by damp conditions;
- Any financial losses suffered as a result of the failure to rectify the disrepair.
How much will I have to pay?
A no win, no fee agreement is a simple way of ensuring your costs are covered if you need to take legal action due to your council/housing association property being in an unliveable condition. Also known as a conditional fee agreement (CFA), it means that the lawyer representing you in the case will not take any payment until the end of the case.
In the event of a loss, the lawyer will take no fee and there will be no cost to the client at all.
After signing the CFA, there is a 14 day “cooling off” period during which the client may cancel at no cost. After this ’14 Day Cooling off’ period, any cancellation may incur legal fees, this is something that your panel solicitor would be able to advise you on. Our Panel of Solicitors will deduct 25% of any compensation awarded plus VAT.
If your case is successful, then the legal fees will be paid for by the client’s housing association or council. The solicitor will also take a deduction of any compensation received. We do not charge you a fee for our service, and you do not pay us any fee at any point for our service. If your claim is successful, we will be paid a fee for referring your claim to one of our panel Solicitor/Lawyer.
Call us on 0800 047 2017 to receive specialist advice on how Tenants Advice can assist you further.
How much compensation will I receive?
Each case is individual. The amount of compensation received is dependent on the severity of the disrepair, how long it has been an issue and the effect it has had upon you.
How long will it take to process my claim?
Each case is individual. On average, housing disrepair claims undertaken by our team are generally settled within a matter of months. During this time, we act entirely on your behalf, removing any stress from the process.
What do I need to do?
You need to report your housing issues to your landlord via telephone or writing. If the landlord does not fix the repairs within a reasonable period of time, you can get in touch with us. We will either provide free housing advice or force your landlord to carry out the repairs.
Knowing Who Is Responsible For What in Your Home.
For tenants in Birmingham, your landlord is legally obligated to carry out most repairs in your home. They must ensure your property is safe, healthy, and without hazards, and maintain the Fitness for Human Habitation standards throughout your tenancy.
Landlord’s Responsibilities
Your landlord is legally responsible for most repairs in your Birmingham home. They must ensure your property is safe, healthy, and free from hazards. It’s their duty to make sure the property consistently meets the Fitness for Human Habitation standards throughout your tenancy.
Their responsibilities include repairs to:
- Electrical wiring
- Gas pipes and boilers
- Heating and hot water
- Chimneys and ventilation
- Sinks, baths, toilets, pipes, and drains.
- Common areas including entrance halls and stairways.
- The structure and exterior of the building.
Tenant’s Responsibilities
While your landlord has significant duties, as a tenant in Birmingham, you also have responsibilities. You must treat your home with care and report any issues promptly. You could be charged for repairs or damage that go beyond normal wear and tear.
This means:
- Keeping your home reasonably clean
- Safety checks on electrical appliances you own
- Keeping gardens or outside areas in a reasonable state
- Minor maintenance such as changing light bulbs or smoke alarm batteries
Start Your Housing Disrepair Claim in Today
Don’t endure housing disrepair in any longer!
Contact Tenants Advice today for a free, no-obligation initial consultation. We’ll discuss your situation, assess your eligibility, and explain how we can help you get the repairs you need and the compensation you deserve.
Call our helpline on 0800 098 2791 or fill out our online contact form to get started.