Council Housing Disrepair Claims 2025 — Claim Against Your Council or Housing Association

Your rights

What can social housing tenants claim for disrepair?

Council tenants and housing association tenants can claim compensation for disrepair under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. Compensation is calculated as a rent reduction for the period the property was affected — typically 20–50% of monthly rent — plus damages for damaged belongings and health impact. You can also obtain a court order requiring your landlord to carry out the repairs.

🏠 Councils & housing associations✓ Awaab’s Law 2024✓ No win, no fee

Awaab’s Law 2024

How Awaab’s Law strengthens your rights as a social tenant

Awaab’s Law — named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died from mould-related illness in a Rochdale housing association property — came into force for social landlords in December 2024. It imposes legally binding timeframes on councils and housing associations for responding to damp, mould, and other hazards.

14-day investigation deadline

Social landlords must investigate any damp, mould, or hazard report within 14 days of being notified. This is a legal obligation — not a target. Failure to investigate within 14 days is itself a breach that strengthens your disrepair claim.

7-day repair start deadline

Where investigation identifies a Category 1 HHSRS hazard (the most serious), repairs must begin within 7 days. Emergency hazards must be addressed within 24 hours. This is one of the fastest mandatory repair obligations in UK housing law.

Applies to councils and housing associations

Awaab’s Law applies specifically to social landlords regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing. Private landlords are not covered, but have overlapping obligations under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.

Non-compliance strengthens your claim

If your landlord breached Awaab’s Law timeframes — failed to investigate within 14 days or begin repairs within 7 days of a Category 1 finding — this is strong documentary evidence for a disrepair compensation claim.

Common disrepair issues

What types of disrepair can you claim for in social housing?

Issue typeTypical severityTypical compensation range

Damp and black mouldWidespread or affecting bedrooms£2,000–£6,000

Heating failureNo heating in winter months£1,500–£4,000

Structural damageCracked walls, subsidence£3,000–£8,000

Leaking roof or windowsWater ingress causing damage£1,500–£5,000

Infestations (mice, cockroaches)Persistent, landlord notified£1,000–£3,000

These ranges are illustrative. Your actual compensation depends on the severity, duration, whether you reported it formally, and whether there was a health impact on your household.

Evidence checklist

What you need to make a council disrepair claim

📋 Essential evidence for social housing disrepair

Written reports to your council or housing association — emails, letters, online portal submissions, or text messages reporting the problem. Date-stamped is essential.

Timestamped photographs — taken on your phone with the date recorded. Photograph from multiple angles and include a scale item (e.g. a ruler, your hand) to show severity.

Their response (or silence) — keep all acknowledgement letters, repair schedules, and “we’ll look into it” emails. If they haven’t responded, that is itself evidence.

Medical evidence if health was affected — a GP letter connecting a respiratory condition or other health problem to the property conditions is very powerful, especially post-Awaab’s Law.

Environmental Health report — if you have made a complaint to your local council’s Environmental Health department, their inspection report is valuable objective evidence of the hazard level.

How to claim

Step-by-step: claiming against your council or housing association

Send a formal written report today

If you have only reported verbally, send a written follow-up immediately via email or your housing portal. Written notification starts the Awaab’s Law clock and establishes your formal claim date.

Gather your evidence

Photograph everything, save all correspondence, and note dates of every interaction with your landlord. The stronger your evidence of how long they have known and failed to act, the higher your compensation is likely to be.

Consult a housing disrepair solicitor (no win, no fee)

Most housing disrepair specialists work on a no win, no fee basis. They will send a formal Letter of Claim to your council or housing association, which often prompts rapid action. Many cases settle without court proceedings.

Court proceedings if necessary

If the landlord refuses to repair or settle, a solicitor can issue county court proceedings seeking both a mandatory injunction (court order to repair) and damages. Social landlords typically prefer to settle than face adverse publicity from court proceedings.

FAQs

Council housing disrepair — questions answered

Will my council evict me if I make a disrepair claim?+

No. Retaliatory eviction following a formal disrepair complaint is unlawful. Council tenants with secure or assured tenancies have very strong tenure protection — councils cannot use eviction to penalise tenants who assert their legal rights. Making a disrepair claim is an exercise of your statutory rights.

My housing association says it will repair soon — should I still claim?+

Yes — for two reasons. First, a claim ensures they actually carry out the repairs. Second, the claim covers the period of past disrepair, regardless of whether repairs are eventually made. Waiting for promised repairs can take months or years; a formal claim through a solicitor typically accelerates action.

Can I claim if I pay subsidised or below-market rent?+

Yes. Social housing disrepair compensation is calculated as a percentage of your actual rent, not market rent. The principle is that you have been denied full enjoyment of what you paid for, however little that was. The percentage reduction (typically 20–50%) reflects the severity of the disrepair, not the level of rent.

Related guides

Disclaimer: Not legal advice. Awaab’s Law applies to social landlords regulated by the RSH. Compensation amounts are illustrative. Always consult a qualified solicitor.