Leaking pipes housing disrepair claims can I claim compensation? – View Our Online Guide For Leaking pipes Compensation Claims

housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes

By Olivia Patterson. Last updated 26th May 2021. If you want to make housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes, this guide could help.

Have you got a problem with leaky pipes in your home? If you have not been able to use your property properly, or you have suffered an illness due to the water damage, you will be able to make a claim against your landlord if he or she has not acted in a reasonable time. Here at Legal Expert, we can help you to secure compensation if such a scenario happens to you. We have helped many different people to get the payout they deserve.

You can call us today on 0800 073 8804 for more information. However, before you give us a ring, please make sure you keep reading to find out more about leaking pipes housing disrepair claims. You will learn exactly how to claim compensation from your landlord, plus much more.

Select A Section

• A Guide To Housing Compensation Claims For Leaking Pipes
• Signs Of Leaky Pipes
• What Are Your Landlord’s Legal Obligations?
• Landlord Repairs In Reasonable Time
• Keeping Records For Your Housing Disrepair Compensation Claim
• Claiming For Damage To Your Health
• What Could Your Housing Disrepair Compensation Include?
• When Can You Claim Housing Disrepair Compensation
• Can I Withhold My Rent While I Make A Claim?
• Housing Disrepair Compensation Calculator
• No Win No Fee Housing Disrepair Compensation Claims
• Why You Should Make Your Claim With Us?
• Speak To Legal Expert Today
• Resources And Useful Links

A Guide To Housing Compensation Claims For Leaking Pipes

If you want to make housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes, this guide could help.

If your belongings have been damaged due to leaky pipes, it can be incredibly frustrating for you as a tenant. It can be even more frustrating if your health has been hindered as a consequence of the aforementioned leakages. If you have suffered due to leaking pipes and your landlord has not acted as quickly as he or she should have, there is a very high chance that you are going to be entitled to compensation, which is the reason why we have decided to produce this guide that covers the subject in detail.

In this guide, we will reveal everything you need to know about making such a claim and the housing disrepair law that is in place. We will explain what your landlord’s legal obligations are and whether or not he or she is at fault for what has happened. We will also give you an understanding regarding the amount of compensation you could receive, as well as explaining why using a housing disrepair compensation calculator is something that should be done with caution.

You will also find out about our service and what we can do for you. If you still have queries by the time you finish reading this guide, you will find our contact information so that you can get in touch with us for more details.

Signs Of Leaky Pipes

Before we look at housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes, let’s look at signs of leaky pipes.

There are many different signs that you could have a problem with leaky pipes in your home. This includes the following:

1. Persistent odour – If you have noticed a mildew, musty-like smell, this is an indication that you have water damage in your home. While you may be able to detect where the smell is coming from, it is not always evident.
2. Discolouring to the wallpaper or paint in the property – Paint will be beginning to show signs of damage when moisture starts to seep into your walls. You may even see warping, cracks, blistering, discolouration, and peeling. Since wood and drywall both absorb moisture with ease, the water breaks down the fibres, which causes it to feel soft and spongy. If you notice signs of peeling, changing wall paint, or chalky textures, then it is likely the culprit is water damage.
3. Damaged flooring – Water damage in the bathroom usually only happens because of a leak. Hidden water can also be the source if there is cracking, staining, and buckling. Other signs of water damage include loose tiles, soft flooring, spongy flooring, and wet spots. Issues like this all need to be looked into as soon as possible, no matter whether the water has travelled from somewhere else or it has been caused from a pipe underneath the floor.
4. Rusty pipes, appliances, and fuse boxes – Flaking, dimpling, stains, and discolouration are all signs that there is corrosion on your pipes. If you notice that your pipes have rusted, then water damage is almost certain. If the fuse box has started to gather moisture or rust, this is another massive warning sign that you have a big problem.
5. Ceiling stains – Last but not least, another big sign that there is a problem with leaky pipes in your home is ceiling stains. Despite what your mum may have told you when you were growing up, if you spill water on the floor out of the bath, it does not seep through the ceiling. However, if the internal pipes that carry the water are damaged, then this can cause ceiling damage. Over time, the beams in your property will be weakened. This results in sagging ceilings. If you notice any dark, copper, or brown stains, you definitely have some sort of problem.

What Are Your Landlord’s Legal Obligations?

Next in our guide, let’s look at how to establish liability for housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes.

It is important to understand your landlord’s legal obligations when it comes to housing disrepair case law. In terms of improving the property, your landlord is under no obligation to do this. However, your landlord must carry out repairs to make sure that you are safe and the property is maintained.

They are responsible for the following:

• Making certain that the property is free from vermin infestation.
• Heating systems.
• Electrical wiring and gas pipes.
• Water installations and pipes.
• The exterior and structure of the premises.

If there is a problem with leaking pipes in your property, you do need to make sure your landlord is made aware as soon as possible. If they have been made aware, yet they have not done anything about it, you will have the basis for housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes.

Landlord Repairs In Reasonable Time

If you refer to the housing association compensation policy, there is no deadline in place regarding when your landlord has to complete a repair back. It is simply started that a landlord most complete work within ‘reasonable’ time. This all depends on the severity of the issue and how it is impacting your life. For example, if a pipe was to leak and it was flooding the house, reasonable time for action to be taken would be within the same day. If a pipe problem was stopping you from getting hot water, reasonable time in the summer may be a week, yet in the winter it may be 24 hours. You can refer to landlord regulations that are in place for further information on this.

Keeping Records For Your Housing Disrepair Compensation Claim

In order to support your housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes, you should keep records. This could include the following:

• A report from the environmental health team at the council
• Receipts for any destroyed or damaged items that you have replaced
• Medical records that show how your health has been impacted
• Photographs of the pipe problem
• Emails or letters sent to and from your landlord regarding the issue

Claiming For Damage To Your Health

You will be able to make housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes if you or anyone that lives in the property suffered an illness, injury, or deteriorating health because of it. Please note that these health problems can be mental or physical. We can help you to secure compensation for both.

In order to claim for any health issues, you are going to need to produce your medical report from your doctor. This will document the injuries you have sustained, as well as the prognosis and treatment that is recommended.

The severity of your injury, as well as how long it is going to impact your life and, indeed, what sort of impact it is having, will all be considered when determining how much money you will receive. For example, if the injury was bad enough to leave you unable to work, you will be able to command a bigger payout amount.

What Could Your Housing Disrepair Compensation Include?

When making housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes against a landlord that is negligent, it is important to understand what you are going to be able to claim for. Compensation is split into two categories. The first is general damages, which is the payout you receive for the injuries and/or illnesses you have suffered – both physical and psychological. You can then claim for special damages, which means any cost you have been subject to because of the incident.

You can make a leaky pipe claim if the issue in your home has resulted in any of the following:

• The pipes have left you unable to use all of your home or have inconvenienced you.
• The issue has made your health or someone in your household’s health worse.
• The issue has damaged your belongings.

You will be able to secure money to cover any of the items of yours that were destroyed or damaged due to the failure of your landlord to carry out repairs. For instance, if your bedding and clothing was ruined or your furniture was damaged, you will be able to claim for this. You can also claim for anything that was damaged during the repair works.

Housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes will also include the cost of replacing the items that were destroyed or damaged. If you have already been forced to purchase the replacements, please make sure you hold onto the receipts, as this is necessary proof. Please note, though, that this could only be the goods’ second-hand value unless it is not reasonable or possible to purchase a second-hand replacement.

If you have not been able to use part of the property or all of it because of the damage caused by the leaking pipes, you will be able to claim a rent refund or reduction. Even if your rent has been paid by universal credit or housing benefit, you can still claim for this. The amount you will get depends on how unliveable the property is. For example, if you can only use half of the property, the courts may decide that a 50 per cent reduction is appropriate.

If you would like compensation for disrepair example or further information about the sort of damages you may receive, please do not hesitate to give our team a call and we will be happy to help.

When Can You Claim Housing Disrepair Compensation?

When it comes to housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes, when you make your claim will depend on the type of case you are launching. In general, you have six years for claims merely for the housing disrepair itself. However, for cases involving personal injuries, which is what most people reading this will be making, you only have three years to make a claim. This starts from the date of your injury.

This all means that you can take legal action to claim housing disrepair damages either during your tenancy or once it has ended. It will certainly help if you claim sooner rather than later. This is because it will be a lot easier to do so, as the evidence you need will be easier to gather. If you do decide to proceed with the claim during your tenancy, you can also request that the court orders your landlord to carry out the repair work. Unless the repair issue has been reported to your problem, you won’t be able to launch housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes.

Can I Withhold My Rent While I Make A Claim?

While it may be tempting to withhold rent due to leaky pipes within your rental property, this is not something you should do. You have no doubt heard the saying that two wrongs don’t make a right, and that is exactly the case when it comes to not paying your rent. If you were to do this, you would then be in breach of your rental contract. This could actually give your landlord grounds to then obtain a possession order from the court, which means they would be within their legal right to evict you. If you have already withheld your rent, please give our team a call for more information regarding what you should do next to rectify the situation.

Housing Disrepair Compensation Calculator

You are probably going to want to know how much compensation you can receive if you make housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes. It is important to note that all cases are different.

Therefore, giving you an exact amount is not possible. Even if you have used a disrepair compensation calculator online, this will only ever provide a rough estimate, so please do keep this in mind. What we can do, though, is give you an understanding regarding average payout amounts, which is what we have put together in the table below.

Updated May 2021.

Have you failed to see the injury you have sustained in the table above? Don’t worry – you can still make a claim. Simply give us a call to find out more about the amount you may be able to secure.

No Win No Fee Housing Disrepair Compensation Claims

All of our recommended solicitors work on a No Win, No Fee basis when handling housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes. This means that you don’t have to pay any legal fees if they do not manage to secure housing disrepair compensation for you. This lowers the risk that is associated with making a claim by a considerable degree. This also leads to many knock-on benefits.

Firstly, you can be sure of a much better service when you choose us, and this is because our provided solicitors are impacted by the outcome of your case. This also assures you that we will not waste your time. If you went for a solicitor that charged by the hour, there is always the chance that he or she would simply take on your case to take your money, irrespective of how likely you are to get compensation. However, we have nothing to gain by this, and thus you can be confident that we will tell you if we do not think your case is likely to result in compensation.

Why You Should Make Your Claim With Us?

You have come to the right place when looking for the best personal injury solicitor for your housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes. Read on to discover all of the main reasons why we are the best solution for you:

• Experienced and reputable – When you use our services, you can be confident that you are in safe hands, as we have the experience to provide impeccable service. This is because we have been helping personal injury victims for many years now, and all you need to do is read our customer reviews to see that they have been more than happy with the service we provide.
• No Win, No Fee service – If we think you have the basis for a successful claim, we will provide you with a No Win, No Fee solicitor. All of the solicitors on our panel work on this basis. Read the section above for more information on this if you have not already.
• No-obligation advice – You can ring our helpline and there is no obligation for you to go forward with our service. Perhaps you are wondering whether you have the basis for a personal injury claim? Maybe you want to know more about our service, or the claim process? Whatever you require, one of our experienced and friendly advisors will be more than happy to assist you and you won’t have to pay a penny for our advice.

Speak To Legal Expert Today

Are you ready to speak to a member of the Legal Expert team today about making housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes? If so, you can reach us on 0800 073 8804. This is our personal injury claims line, which is open seven days a week, from 9.00 a.m. until 9.00 p.m., so that you can call whenever suits you.

housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes

You will speak to one of our friendly and experienced advisors who will happily answer all of your queries. Please note that all of the legal advice we provide is free of charge and there is no obligation to continue with our service. There are also plenty of other ways for you to get in touch with us, including via email and live chat. Head to our contact page for more information on this. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you to get the compensation that you deserve.

Housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes FAQs

What is housing disrepair?

Housing disrepair is a term used to describe something that could be in better condition or function better but is not technically broken. For example, an old window that doesn’t shut properly.

What is a housing disrepair claim?

Providing that you suffer as a result of housing disrepair that your landlord, housing association or other third-party is responsible for, you could be entitled to compensation.

Can I get compensation from my landlord?

In order to be eligible to claim compensation from your landlord, you’ll need to be able to prove that they failed to appropriately remedy any housing disrepair that you reported which was their responsibility.

How much is housing disrepair compensation?

Every case is different, so we’d need a few more details about your situation first before we could estimate how much compensation you might be entitled to. With this in mind, if you’re interested in a free consultation, please get in touch today.

How is compensation valued?

Compensation awards are determined based on the severity of damage suffered by the claimant, meaning the more they suffered, the more they could claim.

What damages could I claim?

General damages could be claimed for physical and psychiatric harm whereas special damages could be claimed for financial shortfall, including any loss of earnings or out-of-pocket expenses.

Should I get a lawyer?

Though there is no law stating you must have a lawyer in order to make a claim, having one could significantly ease the claims process for you. Not only could they do all the hard work on your behalf but they could help secure you the maximum compensation you deserve.

How can Legal Expert help?

For a free consultation on how we could help you, please get in touch today. If you have a valid claim, we could connect you to our panel of personal injury lawyers who could handle your case on a No Win No Fee basis.

Resources And Useful Links

We hope that you have found this guide useful on your quest to find out more information about leaking pipes housing disrepair claims. However, if you need extra details, please see below:

Data on leakages – GOV – This link takes you to a UK Government report on the distribution input and supply pipe leakage for 1992/93 to 2010/11.

Disrepair Compensation Guide– This link takes you to our comprehensive guide on council house disrepair claims.

Thanks for reading our guide on housing disrepair compensation claims for leaking pipes.