If you are a renter living with housing disrepair issues, you may be wondering how long it will take to fix the problem. The answer to this issue depends on a variety of factors, including the degree of the deterioration, the landlord’s willingness to comply, and the legal process’s intricacy.
In general, however, most housing disrepair claims take between 3 and 9 months to resolve from start to finish. This includes the time it takes to:
- Report the disrepair to the landlord
- Give the landlord a reasonable amount of time to fix the problem (90 days)
- If necessary, make a formal complaint or try the housing Ombudsman
- If the above fails seek legal advice from a specialist law firm
- Go through the court process, if your case does ever get to court as most social landlord tend to settle way before that point.
A variety of circumstances can either speed up or slow down the process of filing a home disrepair claim. For example, if the landlord cooperates and agrees to promptly address the problem, the claim may be resolved within a few weeks or months. If the landlord is difficult to work with or refuses to address the problem, the claim may take significantly longer to resolve.
Here are some tips for tenants who are considering making a housing disrepair claim:
- Keep good records of all communications with your landlord, including dates, times, and what was said.
- Take photographs or videos of the disrepair.
- Get an independent expert to assess the disrepair and its impact on your health and safety.
- Be prepared to go to court if necessary.
If you are facing housing disrepair, it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible. An experienced housing lawyer can help you to understand your rights and options, and to represent you in court if necessary.
Here are a few links you find useful:
Housing Ombudsman https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/
Housing Disrepair Advice: https://housingdisrepairadvice.org/contact
