Reach out to Your Landlord
You can't expect your landlord to know if something goes wrong with your property, unless you tell them.
As a tenant, it's your responsibility to notify your landlord immediately if you discover a problem, especially if it is a significant one that could pose huge damage to your safety, belongings or the landlord's property.
You should contact your landlord or letting agent in writing so that you have records of all correspondence.
Whenever your landlord or agent is informed that there are areas that need repair, then he or she should act immediately.
Work Timelines
Ideally, tenancy agreements permit the landlords to inspect the premises to establish areas that need repair and maintenance as long as they notify the tenant in writing within 24 hours.
The time taken to mend the disrepair depends on the extent of the problem. For instance, a burst water pipe will need to be rectified quickly when compared to a malfunctioning radiator.
Report to the Environmental Health Department
Notify your landlord if the disrepair is endangering your health or making your home inhabitable.
If your health concerns are critical or your landlord is taking too long to act on your complaints, then reach out to the environmental health department in your local area to conduct an inspection of your home and offer a detailed report.
Some of the disrepair you can discuss with your local environmental health department include gas leak, mice infestation, mould, and more.
If the report affirms that your house poses a risk to your health, the council will either inform the landlord or carry out the necessary repairs and demand repayment from the landlord.
Many recommendations can be made based on the inspection findings.
Damp and mould in your rented property
Damp and mould are typical concerns in rental properties. Whoever is liable for redressing mould or damp issues will be based on the type of damp and its cause.
As a tenant, it is important to understand various damp home improvement techniques, how to treat them and the cost involved in fixing damp problems.
Prior to making significant steps to tackling the damp, it is important to go through the tenancy agreement and notify your landlord.
Preserve a record of improvements you've made along with receipts. If it's the responsibility of the landlord to redress the mould, then you should seek reimbursement.
Is damp or mould making you ill?
If the disrepair is making you feel unwell or unsafe, then go to your GP.
Ensure they affirm that your health problems are caused by damp or mould and keep a written record as proof.
The next move is to request your council environmental health department to inspect your home.
If the council finds out that the disrepair warrants urgent action, they will issue a notice to your landlord to make the necessary repairs.
However, if your home is found uninhabitable, you may be required to find a new habitable place.
If your landlord fails to comply with the notice, he or she may face criminal charges.
Mediation services for tenants
Taking your landlord to court should be the last resort. It is essential to opt for other dispute resolutions other than going to court.
If you take the matter to the court of law, the jury will take into consideration how both of you tried to resolve the matter.
Mediation dispute resolution is the best approach for private tenants.
For council tenants, the best approach is to notify the local authority about the areas that need repair and their urgency.
Taking your landlord to court
If your landlord has neglected to carry out the necessary repairs despite numerous notifications both verbally and in writing, as well as not responding to mediation, then you may need to take them to court.
The court will decide based on the tabled evidence. As a tenant, you have to convince the court that the landlord neglected to perform the repairs and how it impacted your life. The court can issue an order compelling the landlord to
- perform the necessary repairs.
- pay a certain amount of compensation for damage to your personal belongings or health because of disregarding to do the repairs
- cover your legal expenses