Feeling safe at home and having proper living conditions are part of landlords’ duty of care for tenants, and a right everyone is entitled to. When living in a rented property, you are typically responsible for any needed minor repairs, unless related to normal wear and tear or damp and disrepair.
When you experience landlord negligence, it can deeply affect you both mentally and physically, causing you stress and potential long-term health issues.
Landlords Responsibilities
When renting a property, your landlord has several responsibilities to ensure that you have safe and adequate living conditions. You’re protected by common law and your landlord regulated by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
- Providing a safe property to live in.
- A property that can withstand normal weather conditions.
- Properly ventilated property with no mould or damp.
- Reasonable repairs made both outside and inside of the property.
- A property that can withstand wear and tear from normal tenant use.
- Providing hot water and heating
- Appropriate conditions in pipes and drains (baths, toilets, sinks, and any other sanitary fittings).
- Safe electrical wiring throughout the property.
Personal Injury: Making a Claim
To make a claim, you must have already notified your landlord of the issue or issues before the accident occurred, and your landlord must not have repaired or fixed the issues in the property.
Approximately three million major and minor accidents occur in UK homes per year, on average. There is a 1 and 10,000 chance of suffering from an electrical shock each year, with young children under four years old are typically more susceptible to being the victims of accidents in homes, mostly caused by a fall.
Make sure to collect all evidence as it occurs, such as:
- Expenses and receipts
- Relevant documents
- Photographs and letters
- Witnesses, if applicable
- Medical reports, should your health have been affected
- Reports from the council’s environmental health department
Types of Injury Due to Landlord Negligence
- Slips, trips, and falls. Whether it’s ripped, missing, or loose floorboards and carpets, unsafe flooring, or poor lighting, your landlord’s responsibility is to make sure that you don’t suffer any falling, slipping or tripping in the property.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning. Safe gas appliances in your property and frequent gas safety checks need to be carried out by an engineer, which is your landlord’s responsibility. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be caused by appliances or gas boilers failing, with potential serious heart and brain damage.
- Respiratory issues. Caused by mould or damp, due to leaks or poor ventilation in homes. Kitchens and bathrooms are more susceptible, and exposure to these spores can cause or worsen lung and respiratory conditions (bronchitis, asthma, or emphysema).
Should you have suffered an accident, or your health suffered in any way due to landlord negligence, our experts can help advise you about making a claim to help you cover expenses. Get in touch with us on 01772 562084 – we’re always happy to help answer any questions that you might have.