Housing Disrepair Compensation – Loose Slates / Tiles On Roof Leak Claims Guide

By Mark Ainsdale. Last Updated 14th May 2021. Welcome to our guide on council housing compensation claims solicitors. Loose slates/tiles on roof leaks cause a lot of damage and can lead to your rented home becoming inhabitable. You are at much greater risk of developing a health issue because of damp conditions in your home and if your landlord fails to carry out necessary repairs, you could be entitled to compensation.

If you informed your landlord of a leaky roof problem and they failed to carry out necessary repairs to make your home livable, you have every right to file a claim for compensation against them should your health be negatively impacted or your belongings ruined as a direct result of their negligence.

To find out more about loose slates/tiles on roof leaks claims, please click on the Select a Section below.

Select A Section

• A Guide To Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak Compensation Claims
• What Is Housing Disrepair?
• What Is My Landlords Duty Of Care To Maintain My Home?
• When Can You Claim For Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak?
• What Evidence Do You Need To Make A Leaking Roof In Rented Property Claim?
• What Damage Can Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak
• Leaky Roof Leading To Illness From Mould
• Compensation For Mould Damaged Property
• My Ceiling Collapsed, Can I Claim Compensation?
• What Can I Claim From A Landlord If I Have Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak?
• Leaking Roof Landlord Compensation Calculator
• No Win No Fee Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak
• How Legal Expert Can Help You Take Legal Action Against Your Landlord
• Start Your Claim Now
• Helpful Links

A Guide To Loose Slates/Tiles On Roof Leak Compensation Claims

Damaged roof tiles causing leak

This council housing compensation claims solicitors guide provides valuable information on housing disrepair and walks you through the process of how to file a compensation claim against a negligent landlord who fails in their duty to maintain your home to an acceptable standard even though they were informed of housing disrepair concerns you had about your home.

The guide provides useful information on your landlord’s responsibilities and what they entail when it comes to carrying out necessary repairs to rented homes to keep you safe from health hazards and to prevent damage being done to your personal belongings whether it’s due to mould or something more catastrophic which includes when a ceiling collapses due to a leaky roof, loose slates or a leaking water tank.

At Legal Expert, we have years of experience when it comes to advising tenants of their rights and how to file loose slates/tiles on roof leak claims against negligent landlords whether in the private sector or social housing.

To find out how we can help you establish if you have a strong case against your landlord, please contact us today.

What Is Housing Disrepair?

Housing disrepair describes properties that are not maintained to an acceptable standard as laid out by UK law. All landlords have a duty to maintain properties to a livable standard so that tenants are kept safe from injury, health hazards and damage to their personal belongings. When landlords fail to keep you and your personal belongings safe from harm, you could be entitled to file for compensation against them which includes filing a loose slates/tiles on roof leak claim against a negligent landlord. Get in touch with us to chat about working with This council housing compensation claims solicitors.

What Is My Landlords Duty Of Care To Maintain My Home?

Under UK law, landlords have a duty to ensure that tenants are kept safe in their properties which must be maintained to an acceptable living standard. Landlords must carry out necessary repairs once tenants have informed them about any housing disrepair concerns they have about a rented home. However, it is worth noting that a landlord’s duty is not the same when it comes to “unfurnished” rentals.

To find out what your landlord’s responsibilities entail, you should go through your tenancy agreement which details everything they are obliged to do when it comes to property maintenance. However, under the Landlords and Tenants Act 1985, Section 11, even if a tenancy agreement does not detail a landlord’s responsibilities, UK law clearly states that repairs and maintenance are “implied” and that the structure and exterior of your home must be kept in good condition which includes making sure that a roof is “sound”.

A landlord may also be responsible for maintaining “shared/common” areas of a building which includes hallways, stairwells, lifts and outside areas which only applies to tenancies that began after a specific date namely 15th January 1989. It is worth noting that landlords may be able to “patch up” areas of a property providing it makes it safe to live in.

It is a landlords responsibility to ensure that all installations in a rented property are maintained and kept in good working order. Otherwise, you could look at filing council housing compensation claims solicitors. So, these include the following:

• Gas supply
• Electricity supply
• Heating
• Water supply
• Sanitation

It is also worth noting that should your rented property have been in poor condition at the start of your tenancy and as such, your rent is low, the chances are it would not be possible to force a landlord to carry out necessary repairs more especially if it is deemed that the property has reached the end of its rental value and has been put on the list to be demolished or redeveloped.

Before claiming compensation from a landlord, you must have informed them of any housing disrepair concerns you have regarding your home prior to taking any action against them. You must also allow a landlord a “reasonable” amount of time to inspect the property before carrying out necessary repairs to make your home safe to live in again. When it comes to defining “reasonable”, this depends on the amount of work involved to put right any housing disrepair issues needed.

When it comes to housing disrepair that affects shared or communal parts of a property, you do not have to prove that your landlord was informed of the issue or that they were given a “reasonable” amount of time to carry out necessary repairs.

Landlords do not have a responsibility to make right any damage caused by tenants and they do not have to repair any damage done to your personal belongings more especially if the damage is deemed “inevitable”.

Council landlords and workmen contracted to carry out necessary repairs are entitled to enter your home. However, if you feel the repair work that was done is substandard, you could be entitled to file a claim against a landlord or the workmen who carried out the repairs. The reason being that under UK law, builders and people who carry out repair work to a building have specific responsibilities towards tenants and other people who live in a property. With this said, any compensation would be for injuries/damage to property sustained by tenants rather than against forcing landlords to put right any housing disrepair.

It is also worth noting that people who visit you are entitled to the same level of protection and if they suffer an injury/damage to personal belongings while visiting you in your rented home as a direct of housing disrepair, they could claim compensation against a negligent landlord too.

Should your landlord fail to carry out necessary repairs, you have every right to organise the repairs yourself before deducting the cost of the work involved from your rent or from your services charges if applicable. You must inform your landlord that you intend on organising necessary repair work yourself because they failed to do so in an reasonable time and you should get three estimates from qualified people and send copies of each to your landlord. You should choose the lowest estimate when organising for the work to be carried out yourself.

Other expenses you incur cannot be deducted from your rent which includes any loss of income you incur when waiting for workmen to turn up to carry out repair work. You cannot stop paying your rent either because if you do, a landlord could sue you for “rent arrears” although if this does happen, you have a right to “counter-sue” a landlord for the repair costs you incurred and you could add the following to your counter claim:

• Distress
• Anxiety
• Inconvenience

The downside to this is that a landlord may also issue a “possession order” and seek to evict you from your home.

If your rent falls under “Registered Fair Rent”, you could be entitled to request that a Fair Rent Officer reduces your rent further providing they can be convinced that the housing disrepair has deteriorated since it was last inspected.

Should the disrepair be so bad that it makes it impossible to live in your home, you could ask a court to force a landlord to carry out the necessary repairs.

Should your home be in such bad condition that it is deemed dangerous to your health, you can report the problem to the local environmental officer who would inspect the property before writing an official report on the condition of it which would be filed with your local authority. A local authority is obliged to act should your home breach environmental health legislation and they would serve a notice on your landlord to carry out necessary repairs within a stipulated time.

Should your landlord fail to carry out the necessary repairs as stipulated by a local authority, they could be liable to pay a fine bearing in mind that local authorities have the right to carry out urgent and necessary repairs before invoicing your landlord for the cost.

Should your landlord be the council, there is not much point in getting a local authority involved, but rather to take criminal action out against your council landlord which you can do under the Public Health Act and which is done through magistrates courts. If you decide to go down this route, you should inform your council landlord of your intentions and sent a letter to environmental health which allows them the opportunity of inspecting your home before establishing the level of housing disrepair and the work involved in putting things right

To start a claim in a Magistrates Court, you would need to do so by “laying a complaint” which would summon your local authority to court. It also helps your case if you have an independent expert write a report on the condition of your home and the housing disrepair you have to put up with through council landlord negligence. Please speak with us if you wish to know more about council housing compensation claims solicitors.

When Can You Claim For Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak?

If you live in a rented property that has fallen into disrepair and your landlord fails in their duty to make right any housing disrepair issues that your reported to them, you have a right to take the matter further by filing a leaking roof in rented property claim against them.

When claiming compensation from a landlord for damage caused by a leaky roof, the things that can be included are detailed below:

• The cost of replacing damaged and ruined personal belongings whether new or second/hand
• Damage to your health and the health of anyone else in the household whether physical or psychological

At Legal Expert, we have years of experience in handling successful loose slates/tiles on roof leak claims for clients in the past and we are very aware there may be a housing disrepair claims time limit associated with this type of case.

What Evidence Do You Need To Make A Leaking Roof In Rented Property Claim?

When preparing to file a claim for compensation from a landlord for mould and other housing disrepair issues, there are certain things you need to do which includes keeping records of everything relating to the problem. This includes keeping the following:

• Copies of all correspondence you have with your landlord
• Photographic evidence of the leaky roof and damaged caused to your home and personal belongings
• Medical reports of the health issues you suffered as a direct result of housing disrepair in your home
• Receipts of the cost of replacing damaged or ruined personal belongings
• Environmental health report

If you need to speak to a housing disrepair lawyer about a loose slate/tiles on roof leak claim, please do not hesitate in contacting Legal Expert today to chat about using council housing compensation claims solicitors.

What Damage Can Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak Cause?

A leaking roof can cause a lot of damage not only to your rented home, but to your personal belongings too. The leak could be caused by loose tiles or a loose slate and it can lead to a property becoming damp with mould growth on walls, ceilings and other areas of the home.

Water and mould can damage your personal effects which includes the following:

• Clothing
• Bedding
• Furniture
• Carpets
• Soft furnishings

When it comes to your health, a leaky roof can lead to you suffering from all sorts of disorders and it can negatively impact your immune system if you continue living in damp conditions where mould has taken hold.

Call us today to find out more about loose slates/tiles on roof leak claims.

Leaky Roof Leading To Illness From Mould

If damp and mould is a problem in your rented property due to a leaky roof problem and it negatively impacts your health because your landlord failed to make good your home having been told about the housing disrepair concerns, you have every right to seek legal advice and to file a claim against them by using council housing compensation claims solicitors.

The health issues typically associated with damp and mould in the home are detailed below:

• Respiratory issues
• Respiratory infections
• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Red eyes
• Skin rashes
• Allergies
• Asthma
• It can negatively impact your immune system
• Lung disease
• It can exacerbate existing conditions like eczema and skin conditions

If you need to find out more about loose slates/tiles on roof leak claims, and how a Legal Expert personal injury lawyer can help establish if you have a strong case against your landlord, please contact us today.

Compensation For Mould Damaged Property

If your rented home is damp and there is mould growth on walls and other areas of the property, the chances are that the mould will take hold on your personal belongings. Mould can damage or even destroy furniture, clothing, shoes or other items you own. If your landlord has failed to maintain your home to an acceptable standard and your belongings are ruined, you can claim compensation to cover the cost of replacing the damaged or ruined items.

It is also worth noting that you can even claim compensation for any of your belongings that get damaged when any housing disrepair work is being carried out on your home. It is also worth making a note that the amounts you may be compensated might only reflect the value of second/hand replacement items and that you can file for compensation during a tenancy or after you have left the rented property.

Compensation for damaged belongings can be made up to 6 years after the incident happened whereas for a personal injury claim, the time limit is 3 years. You have every right to request that a court orders a landlord to carry out repair work when claiming compensation from landlord during your tenancy and that you cannot take a landlord to court and file for compensation if you did not report a housing disrepair issues to them while respecting a landlord repairs time frame to carry out the necessary work. Speak to us about working with council housing compensation claims solicitors.

My Ceiling Collapsed, Can I Claim Compensation?

When ceilings collapse it usually causes a lot of damage to your home and your personal belongings. On top of this, electrics may be negatively impacted making it dangerous to remain in the property. The typical cause of a ceiling collapsing can be put down to a roof leak or a leaky water tank. The damage can be catastrophic and could even be life-threatening if you happen to be the room when the ceiling comes down on you.

Your landlord is obliged under the law to maintain your home and to make right any damage caused by a ceiling collapsing providing the incident was not caused by you, the tenant. It is a landlord’s responsibility to keep you safe and if they fail in their duty to make right any housing disrepair issues in your home, you have the right to take the matter further and claim compensation for the pain, suffering and damage you sustained through their negligence.

It is worth noting that when it comes to personal belongings which are damaged when a ceiling in a rented home collapses, establishing responsibility can be more challenging because proving the condition of items before they were damaged is never easy which is why it’s important to take pictures of personal possessions before and after they were damaged through not fault of your own.

What Can I Claim From A Landlord If I Have Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak?

If any of your personal possessions were damaged due to a leaky roof or because of a damp and mould problem or your health was negatively impacted by the condition of your home, you may be entitled to file for compensation against your landlord.

However, you must have informed the landlord of the housing disrepair and given them enough time to complete necessary work to put things right. If they fail to respond or not carry out the necessary repairs or the repairs were deemed substandard, you have every right to file for compensation for your pain, suffering and the damage done to your personal property.

With this said, there are other things that can be included in your personal injury claim and these are as follows:

• Damages to furniture, bedding and other personal possessions whether slight or beyond repair
• The cost of replacing damaged items whether second/hand or new
• General inconvenience
• A reduction in your rent – should you not be able to live in your rented property until repairs are completed
• The cost of removals should you have to leave your home while repairs are being carried out
• The cost of alternative accommodation should it be necessary to move out of your home while major work is being done
• Medical expenses that are not covered by the NHS
• Travel expenses to receive treatment
• Medical treatment not covered by the NHS
• Care claim

To find out more about how Legal Expert can help you with a leaking ceiling in rented property claim, please contact us today. And the council housing compensation claims solicitors that we work with can then speak with you further.

Leaking Roof Landlord Compensation Calculator

The amounts of compensation indicated in the table below are based on past successful claims and the Judicial College guidelines. All personal injury claims are treated as unique which means the amount you may be awarded in a successful claim may differ from the amounts provided.

No Win No Fee Loose Slate/Tiles On Roof Leak

Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs) allows a Legal Expert personal injury lawyer to begin working on your claim without requesting a retainer or upfront fee. These No Win No Fee agreements permit anyone who has suffered an injury or had their property damaged through the negligence of a third party, the opportunity of claiming the compensation they rightly deserve not only for their pain and suffering, but also for any inconvenience that was caused.

Having signed a CFA, you would receive legal representation without having to worry about the costs involved and if your case is unsuccessful, there would be nothing to pay for these services. You only have to pay an agreed fee once a court rules in your favour, bearing in mind that in many personal injury claims, defendants prefer to settle before the case ever gets to court.

Working on a No Win No Fee basis also means that any fees that are due on successful claims, are taken directly out of the money a court awards you rather than you having to find the funds to settle your account. All of the council housing compensation claims solicitors that we use operate with a No Win No Fee agreement in place.

How Legal Expert Can Help You Take Legal Action Against Your Landlord

We are experts in our fields and cover a vast range of personal injury claims for clients all over the country which includes housing disrepair cases against landlords. Our no obligation, initial consultation is free of charge and it allows us the time to assess your case before deciding how to proceed with your personal injury claim. We always respect any personal injury claims time limit that is often attached to many claims and we ensure you are awarded the level of compensation your deserve for the pain, suffering and damage you sustained through no fault of your own.

Legal Expert is recognised nationwide as a top personal injury claims provider and we are also recognised by both the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) as well as The Law Society.

A personal injury lawyer would work with you on a No Win No Fee basis taking all the pressure off having to find the funds to pay for legal representation when you need it the most. We work Monday to Friday and are claims lines remain open from 9am to 9pm but you can also contact us by email or request a “call back” to discuss your case with a Legal Expert personal injury lawyer.

Start Your Claim Now

Our claims lines are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 9pm and you can reach a personal injury solicitor on 0800 073 8804 or you can use our call back service by filling out the form provided and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

You can also email us at info@legalexpert.co.uk and a personal injury lawyer will get back to you promptly to discuss a loose slates/tiles on roof leak issue and how to file a personal injury claim. We’re accessible anytime to chat about you potentially using council housing compensation claims solicitors.

Helpful Links

For advice on starting a claim for housing disrepair the link to our guide below will be especially helpful.

Housing disrepair compensation claims guide

To find out more about working with a personal injury solicitor on a No Win No Fee basis, please follow the link below:

Working with a personal injury lawyer on a No Win No Fee basis

If you would like to know more about the Landlords and Tenants Act please click on the following link:

Landlords and Tenants Act 1985 section 11

To find out more about your rights as a tenant, please click on the link below:

Your tenants rights

Council Housing Compensation Claims Solicitors FAQs

What does a housing solicitor do?

A housing solicitor looks after anything legally related to you either buying or selling a property.

How much does a property solicitor earn?

A typical property solicitor earns around £42,500 per year, with entry level positions being around £30,000.

How much does a first year solicitor earn?

Once you make it to a major international firm, the starting salary could be as high as £58,000-£65,000.

Is an associate solicitor higher than a solicitor?

Though an associate solicitor is below the partner level, they do have more seniority than a typical assistant solicitor.

How much does a solicitor cost?

Baseline legal fees tend to range between £800 and £1,500, along with VAT of 20%. For a No Win No Fee agreement, a success fee comes into play if the case wins.

Can you go to court without a solicitor?

You can do this, but it’s harder to win accident claims without legal representation, meaning there could be a financial risk.

How long does it take to become an associate solicitor?

It can take an average solicitor between 6-9 years to be an associate before becoming a potential partner.

What should you not do in court?

Don’t be late, don’t use a mobile phone and ask any questions but without interrupting other speakers.

Thank you for reading our guide on council housing compensation claims solicitors.