When you start renting a home, you’ll quickly realise that the whole experience often proves to be much harder than you expected because of the details that you’ll need to consider.
Considering that you’re holding up your part of the deal by being courteous and paying rent each month, it’s best to expect that you live in a home that is safe and fit for the purpose that you’re renting it for. From the locks on your doors to the HVAC system that keeps your interior atmosphere in order, everything that affects your rental experience must always be in line.
But if your rented property doesn’t live up to the standards that it’s supposed to follow, then your property owner is failing to fulfil the responsibilities they have to their tenants. Unfortunately, this inability to meet certain standards can lead to the need for a housing disrepair claim as a last resort if things don’t let up. And this brings us to one question you may have in mind: how will your housing disrepair claim be valued?
Qualifying instances
Dealing with a problem in your rental that makes it unlivable (or close to being so) can make for a rather difficult situation because of how costly and complicated it can be, even if it isn’t your fault. However, it can be quite confusing to determine whether your situation qualifies as something you can pursue your owner for because of the lack of a fine line between “claimable” and “unclaimable.”
To give you a better understanding of the problems in your home that you can file a housing disrepair claim for, here are some common points for complaints:
- Damp and mould issues
- Faulty installations
- Pest infestations
- Structural problems (such as cracked pillars and dodgy roofs)
How do you calculate your claim value, and what is its value based on?
When it comes to determining how much the owner owes you for your troubles, it’s important that you refer to the formula that is widely used in claim courts in the UK. Here is the standard formula for the inconvenience that is used to compute how much a tenant can claim during their complaint:
(The number of months spent in disrepair) x (the monthly rental fee agreed upon) = Inconvenience.
Besides this formula, the final value of inconvenience that may be awarded to you also depends on certain factors that can increase it significantly based on associated costs. Let’s look at some of the most critical factors that determine the overall value that you can pursue in your housing disrepair claim:
- Personal injury: By far the largest influence on the overall value of a claim, the presence of personal injury is something that significantly elevates an awarded amount because of the additional expenses it involves. Whether it’s in the context of respiratory issues that come about as a result of a faulty HVAC system or a broken bone because of an improperly secured fixture, any negligence of an owner that affects your health is claimable.
- Damage to personal belongings: Often, tenants who experience inconveniences in their rentals face a certain housing disrepair-related issue that comes in the form of damaged items or property. If a certain part of the property damages or breaks any of the items that you brought inside (such as a computer, phone, art, or collectable), it will affect the overall value of your awarded amount.
If you’re looking to file your housing disrepair claim effectively and correctly, it’s best to partner up with an expert like Consumer Reclaim, who can help you navigate through the process!
Conclusion
Dealing with an issue in your rented property that makes it difficult to live comfortably is something that you shouldn’t have to put up with any longer, thanks to the opportunity to file a housing disrepair claim. By considering the key points mentioned above and preparing well, you’ll be able to provide yourself with all the necessary tools and details that will help you get compensated for your troubles!
Are you having a bit of difficulty with reclaiming the full cost on any mis-sold goods or services that you’ve purchased within the last six years in the UK? Discuss your claim with one of Consumer Reclaims expertly-trained claim advisors today!