Getting the
refund you deserve

What can you do to make your property a home again?

1. Tell the Landlord!

When something goes wrong in a property, the first thing to do is tell the Landlord. If the Landlord does not know about disrepair, they can’t fix it!
You should try to tell the Landlord in a way that leaves a record. For example, you could send a letter (and take a photograph of the letter on your phone, send an email or
leave a text message). Once a Landlord has been told about a problem that they have to fix, they have a ‘reasonable’ period of time in which to fix it. A ‘reasonable’ period depends on how serious the problem is and how seriously it is likely to affect the people living there. Problems like broken front doors meaning anyone can get in, live wires sticking out of walls and major water leaks ought to be fixed very quickly. On the other hand, a reasonable period to replace a window fitting which is letting cold air in, is likely to be a bit longer.

2. What if they won’t make the repairs?

Unfortunately, some Landlords are notorious for delaying, not doing or performing poor quality repairs. Normally, once a Landlord is contacted by Solicitors they will agree to perform the repairs and pay you compensation for having to live with the disrepair.
If they still refuse to make repairs or pay compensation then the last resort is going to Court. A Court can order a Landlord to perform the repairs or, less commonly, order the Landlord to pay you the money needed to make the repairs. The Court will also usually order the Landlord to pay you an amount of money to compensate you for having to live with the disrepair and any damage to property or money you have had to pay out because of the disrepair

3. If you cannot get the repairs done?

You can use our free eligibility checker to get an idea of whether we can help you (html link).
You can contact us online or by telephone. When we hear from you, we will want to take some details about:

  • You and others who live at the property;
  • Who the Landlord is;
  • If, when and how you told the Landlord about the disrepair;
  • Make arrangements for you to send us over any evidence you have; We will also want to:
  • Explain how the process works;
  • Arrange for you to sign a form, allowing us to deal with the Landlord on your behalf and to obtain documents from the landlord about your case;
Check eligibility