In claims for housing disrepair, the court does not have the power to order a landlord to move you to a new property. However, by instructing MJV Solicitors, as experts in housing disrepair, we are sometimes able to negotiate this.
Case Study
Our client was living in a property suffering from bad disrepair. The problems included:
Plaster falling away from the walls;
Cracks in the plaster on the walls and ceilings;
Mould and damp in all rooms;
Poorly maintained external brickwork;
A broken toilet; and
Broken bathroom tiles
Our client had been reporting the problems for over six months when she reached out to us for help. We were able to help her on a no win no fee basis.
The Property
The disrepair was so bad, that our client’s landlord needed to move her and her family out of their home while repairs were undertaken. She did not want this and wanted to move out for good.
It is not possible for a court to order this. All it can do is order the landlord to conform with the lease and to do the repairs required. However, we approached her landlord and asked that they compensate her and move her to another property for good.
Following some negotiations, we were able to agree that her landlord move her to a new property she was happy with. She also received a payment of compensation. She had no out of pocket expenses and her landlord paid all the costs of her moving.
Can I move?
Not all landlords will agree. It is important to make sure that an offer to move is made in a certain way and so should only be made through expert housing disrepair lawyers such as MJV Solicitors.
If you wish to talk to us about a no win no fee claim for housing disrepair against a housing association or a council, call us on 01253 858231 or e-mail info@mjvlaw.co.uk
by MJV&Co
Our client approached us because she had been complaining to her landlord for around six months.
Her home suffered from various problems:
The plaster in many rooms was cracked and falling away from the walls;
There were cracks around several windows;
Some of the windows had failed and the seals had degraded causing drafts and leaks;
There were issues with mould, damp and condensation;
The toilet was broken; and
There were cracked and damaged tiles in the kitchen.
Landlord’s Failure
As is often so, her landlord inspected her property but did nothing else. They made promises that they did not keep and did not undertake any repairs as they should have.
Our Involvement
Our client grew frustrated at the conditions she was living in and instructed us to help her. We did so on a no win no fee basis as we do with all the housing disrepair clients whose claims we accept.
We presented the claim to her landlord and started the process as soon as she had completed her paperwork.
Sadly, her landlord ignored us as well. We instructed one of the country’s leading housing disrepair surveyors who inspected the property and produced a report. This confirmed that there was substantial disrepair that was the landlord’s responsibility. Once they received the report, they initially denied any wrong doing, but using our expertise and experience, we were able to prove them wrong.
Settlement
We were able to negotiate an agreement that our client was happy with. She was well compensated and now lives in a home free from damp, falling plaster and other disrepair that no tenant should have to endure
Your Claim
If you recognise any of the problems discussed in this housing disrepair case study and are the tenant in a council or housing association property, call us today on 01253 858231 or e-mail info@mjvlaw.co.uk for your no obligation consultation.
We offer a no win no fee service and are experts in our field.
