Council House Disrepair Claim: What Tenants Need to Know
Housing Repair Help Editorial Team · Reclaim Experts Ltd is a Claims Management Company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 1030701. You do not have to use a claims management company to pursue a complaint or explore your legal options. You can report repair problems directly to your landlord. If you have an unresolved housing complaint, eligible tenants can also use the Housing Ombudsman Service free of charge: https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/residents/.
Council housing provides affordable homes for millions across England and Wales, but when a council house is in disrepair and the landlord fails to act, tenants are left living with damp, leaks, broken heating and unsafe conditions.
This guide explains how to make a council house disrepair claim, when you can bring a disrepair claim against the council, what compensation may be available, and the steps to take if your repair requests are being ignored.
Your Rights When Your Council House Is in Disrepair
Council tenants have the same legal protections as private tenants. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, local councils must maintain:
The structure and exterior (roof, walls, windows, doors)
Installations for water, gas, electricity, and heating
Sanitation facilities
Common areas in blocks of flats
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 further requires that council properties are fit for human habitation throughout the tenancy.
What Makes Council Housing Different from Private Rentals?
Council housing differs significantly from private rentals in its management and maintenance approach. Designed to provide affordable homes for those in need, council housing often faces challenges such as stretched resources and large-scale operations that can delay repairs.
Repairs may involve multiple teams or contractors, particularly for communal areas like stairwells or shared spaces, leading to coordination issues. Additionally, tenants often face bureaucratic hurdles, with formal complaint procedures and inspections delaying action further.
Despite these challenges, councils are legally required to maintain properties in a safe, habitable condition. At Housing Repair Help, we are here to ensure your concerns are addressed quickly, cutting through the red tape to protect your rights and secure necessary repairs.
The Impact of Disrepair on Council Tenants
Disrepair in council housing can have a profound impact on tenants, affecting their physical health, emotional well-being, and financial stability. Persistent issues such as damp and mould can cause respiratory problems, while structural damage or faulty electrics may create unsafe living conditions, posing risks to you and your family. Beyond health concerns, living in disrepair can disrupt your daily life, leading to stress, frustration, and a diminished quality of life.
Council tenants often face unique challenges, including delayed repairs due to large-scale operations, slow communication from their landlord, or prolonged waits as issues are passed between departments. These inefficiencies can result in extended periods of disrepair, causing unnecessary and avoidable harm.
No council tenant should have to endure these conditions. If you feel your complaints are being ignored, Housing Repair Help can help. We will ensure your concerns are taken seriously and work to restore your home to a safe and comfortable standard, holding your landlord accountable for their legal obligations.
Common Issues in a Council House in Disrepair
Damp & Mould
Particularly common in older properties with poor insulation
Leaking Roofs/Pipes
Water ingress causing damage to walls and belongings
Broken Heating
Especially problematic during winter months
Faulty Electrics
Outdated wiring and broken fittings creating hazards
Structural Problems
Cracks, subsidence, and unsafe flooring
Pest Infestations
Often linked to structural issues allowing access
How to Report a Council House in Disrepair
Report to Your Council's Repairs Service
Put Everything in Writing
Use the Council's Complaints Procedure
Contact the Housing Ombudsman
Report to Environmental Health
You can also report to environmental health. Although within the same council, they operate independently and can issue improvement notices.
How to Make a Council House Disrepair Claim
If your home is still not being repaired, the next step is to consider a formal council house disrepair claim. The process generally follows these stages:
Notify the council in writing
Allow a reasonable time for repairs
Gather evidence
Escalate through complaints and the Ombudsman
Speak to a housing disrepair solicitor
Who is Housing Repair Help?
The facts about who we are, how we work and what you pay, set out plainly.
Who operates the service
Housing Repair Help is a trading style of Reclaim Experts Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 16058317) with its registered office at Innovation Centre, 49 Oxford Street, Leicester, LE1 5XY.
FCA status
Reclaim Experts Ltd is a Claims Management Company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 1030701. You can check its entry on the FCA Register. It is also registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (registration number ZB869483).
What our role is
We provide free, plain-English information about housing disrepair, run a free eligibility check based on the details and evidence you provide, and help organise photos, reports and correspondence into a clear case file. Housing Repair Help is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal representation.
What happens after you submit an enquiry
Every enquiry is reviewed against the same criteria before it is passed on: whether the disrepair falls within the landlord's repairing obligations, whether the landlord was told about the problem and given a reasonable chance to fix it, the severity of the problem, the quality of the evidence, and how long it has continued. If your case is not suitable we tell you and point you to free routes such as the Housing Ombudsman Service, Citizens Advice and Shelter.
Our relationship with the solicitor
Suitable cases are introduced to specialist housing disrepair solicitors on our panel. Those firms are independent of us and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. They decide whether to take a case on, and any legal advice comes from them once they have been formally instructed and a client care agreement is in place.
How referrals work
When a case is suitable, we pass it to a specialist housing disrepair solicitor on our panel. Reclaim Experts Ltd receives a fee from the solicitor for any successful recommendation. You are never charged for the introduction.
What you pay
You pay nothing to Housing Repair Help. We do not charge tenants a fee for our eligibility check or our introduction service.
What "No Win No Fee" means
The solicitors on our panel may offer to run your claim under a No Win No Fee agreement. Under such an agreement, the solicitor's fee is only payable if your claim succeeds, and is then usually recovered from your compensation. If your claim does not succeed, you do not pay the solicitor a fee for their time. The solicitor will explain the full terms before you sign anything, and you are free to choose a solicitor of your own instead.
Thinking about a disrepair claim against the council?
If you've reported repair issues to your council and they haven't been resolved, you can submit your details to see whether you may be able to make a claim.
Start Your ClaimFCA Regulated Claims Management Company FRN: 1030701
No obligation.
Not ready to start your claim?
The Importance of Evidence
Photographs
Dated photos of the disrepair
Repair Requests
Copies of repair request confirmations from the council
Correspondence
Written communication including complaint references
Medical Records
If the disrepair has affected your health
Missed Appointments
Records of unfulfilled repair commitments
When to Make a Disrepair Claim Against the Council
If the council has been notified and failed to act within a reasonable time, you may be able to seek compensation for:
Inconvenience and loss of enjoyment of the home
Damage to personal belongings
Health impacts caused by the disrepair
Additional costs incurred
What Can I Claim For?
When you make a housing disrepair claim, the court can order your landlord to carry out the repairs. As well as this, you may also be awarded compensation under several heads of loss, including:
Damage to Belongings
Compensation for any belongings damaged or destroyed as a result of the poor condition of the property. You may also be able to claim for items damaged during repairs carried out by your landlord.
Financial Loss
If you have suffered financial loss as a result of your landlord failing to carry out repairs, you may be able to claim for this. Please note that significant rent arrears can affect the outcome of your claim.
Personal Injury
If you have been injured as a result of your landlord's negligence, you could make a personal injury claim — for example respiratory problems caused by damp or mould, slip or trip injuries, or carbon monoxide exposure. Our panel can assist with medical reports, expert evidence and court proceedings.
Inconvenience
Compensation for general disruption to your daily life — including not being able to use parts of your home or having to wait long periods for repairs to be carried out.
Solicitors Regulatory Authority
All our panel of solicitors are registered with the SRA who conduct housing work.
Solicitors Regulation Authority
The independent regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales.
sra.org.uk →Free Independent Advice
You can get free, independent advice from Citizens Advice or Shelter.
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Further Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
This article provides general information about housing issues in England and Wales and does not constitute legal advice. Legal services may be provided by independent solicitors where appropriate.