Housing disrepair and how to keep your family safe
The Dangers of housing disrepair
Some of the most common areas for housing disrepair are damp and mould in the home. Unfortunately, mould in the home has been linked to numerous health conditions. These range from minor to serious or even life threatening complaints.
Some of these can include:
- Upper Respiratory Tract Infections(URTI)
- Chest Infections
- Tiredness
- Memory Loss
- And Liver Cancer
Individuals with health issues are more susceptible to illness related to mould. For example, people suffering with asthma would be more at risk of chest infections and individuals with immune suppression would be more susceptible to fungal infections.
It is critically important that you visit your doctor if you or a family member is suffering with ill health which you believe could be related to your living environment as soon as possible.
What areas of your home is your landlord responsible for?
Your landlord is legally required to ensure that your residential property is in a condition of good repair. This includes the structure of the property and installation such as the electricity, water, gas and sanitation.
For example, legally, your landlord is required to ensure the structure of the property is in good repair therefore if you have any of the following, your property may be considered to be in a state of disrepair:
- Leaking roof
- Leaking windows
- Damp
- Plumping problems
It is important to remember that a review of your tenancy agreement may show that your landlord is required to ensure that fixtures and fitting are also in a condition of good repair. A housing disrepair claim arises out of the poor condition of your residential premises. If your residential property is in need of repair, uninhabitable and/or effecting your family’s health and your landlord is failing to make such repairs, your may be able to make a claim for compensation.
Process of claim
If you decide to make a claim for housing disrepair an early notification letter will be sent to you Landlord detailing your complaints and the property repairs required. The landlord will be advised that if agreement is not reached in relation to the necessary repairs within 20 working days an expert will be instructed to carry out an inspection of your property. If no response is received from the Landlord within the 20 days, a letter of claim will be sent to your Landlord advising that it is your intention to make a claim for compensation as result of their failure to keep the property in a good state of repair.
This article was written by Andrew Fullam for Claims National. Claims national specialises in work accident claims and prides itself on it’s service and quality.