Can I claim myself?
Yes. Here is how to raise a housing disrepair complaint yourself, free of charge, without using us or anyone else.
You never have to use a Claims Management Company. Every route described here is free, and using a Claims Management Company will not resolve a claim more quickly, or with a better prospect of success, or with a better outcome, than doing it yourself.
Step 1: report it in writing
Email or write to your landlord describing the problem, the rooms affected, how long it has been happening and how it affects you. Ask for a repair appointment and a reference number. Keep a copy of everything.
Step 2: gather your evidence
Photograph everything, date it, and keep every letter, email and text. Our evidence checklist covers what to collect and how.
Step 3: use the formal complaints procedure
Every council and housing association must have a complaints procedure, usually with two stages. Put your complaint in writing, say what you want done, and keep to the timescales they give you. Ask for a written response at each stage.
Step 4: go to the Housing Ombudsman
If the landlord's own process has finished and you are still not satisfied, you can complain to the Housing Ombudsman. It is free and independent, and it can order a landlord to put things right and to pay compensation. See our Housing Ombudsman guide.
Other free help
- Shelter — free housing advice, including a helpline and online guides
- Citizens Advice — free, independent advice on housing and tenancy problems
- Your council's environmental health team — can inspect a property and require a landlord to act, including where your landlord is the council itself
- A solicitor — you can instruct a housing solicitor directly, without going through anyone
So why use Helping Tenants?
Some people would rather not deal with it alone: the letters, the chasing, the complaints stages. Our service reviews your enquiry, helps you get your evidence together and, if your case appears suitable, refers it to a panel solicitor. We charge you nothing and you sign nothing with us. It is one option among several, and it is entirely your choice.
Related articles
Using the Housing Ombudsman
A free, independent service for complaints about social landlords.
Read more →Evidence checklist
What to photograph, keep and write down, whoever you deal with.
Read more →Your rights as a tenant
Repairs, access, complaints and protection from retaliation.
Read more →Housing disrepair explained
What the law requires of your landlord, and when a problem becomes a claim.
Read more →Housing disrepair claims
What counts as disrepair, what a claim can achieve, and how the process works.
Read more →Damp and mould guide
Telling the types apart, the health effects, and what your landlord should do.
Read more →Tell us what is wrong with your home
We will explain your options honestly, including the ones that do not involve us. Making an enquiry costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
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