Last Updated 27th February 2025. A lot of people are reliant on landlords for the proper upkeep of their homes. However, at times, a landlord may fall short and fail to carry out repairs or do so in a haphazard manner. Our guide explains what you can do to help your case if negligence leads you to make a compensation claim against a landlord.
Read on to get answers to such important questions as:
- What exactly is landlord negligence?
- How much can I sue my landlord for emotional distress or illness?
- Can a solicitor help me with suing a landlord for negligence?
Our guide covers the important elements of a claim, as well as the No Win No Fee basis upon which our panel’s solicitors offer their expert support.
Call Legal Helpline for free on 0333 000 0729 to see if you’re able to make a landlord accident claim. Alternatively, you can contact us online and ask us to call you. If you prefer to talk online, click the live support button below.
Jump to a Section:
- Could I Make A Compensation Claim Against A Landlord?
- What Should You Do If You Become Injured Or Ill Due To Your Landlord’s Actions?
- How Much Could I Receive For A Compensation Claim Against A Landlord?
- No Win No Fee Compensation Claims Against A Landlord
- Contact Our Team Today
- Helpful Links And Resources
Could I Make A Compensation Claim Against A Landlord?
If you have experienced an accident in your rented home, which you believe was due to negligent upkeep on the part of the landlord, you could be entitled to make a compensation claim against a landlord. This is because legally, landlords have a duty of care towards their tenants and are responsible for providing them with a hazard-free living environment that does not put their health or safety at risk. The standards of living that the landlord is responsible for providing are specified by the Landlord and Tenants Act of 1985.
If the landlord breaches the Landlord and Tenants Act of 1985, and you are harmed from this breach, then this is known as negligence.
An example of an illness would be if a tenant complained about mould growing in a property due to structural problems and the landlord chose to ignore a problem. As a result of the mould, the tenant developed a respiratory illness.
An example of an injury caused by landlord negligence for which they could make a compensation claim against a landlord could be the tenant complaining about a broken stair, which the landlord refuses to repair. As a result, the tenant, a member of their household or a friend falls and breaks their leg.
As such, here is the eligibility criteria to claim against a landlord:
- A landlord owed you a duty of care as a tenant.
- The landlord breached their duty of care by providing substandard living conditions.
- You suffered an illness or injury due to this breach.
For more information on suing a landlord for negligence, and to confirm your claim eligibility, please contact us.
Claiming For Disrepair Leading To Injury or Illness
Landlords are responsible for all repairs of a property. Tenants are responsible for reporting any housing disrepair they find to the landlord. If the landlord ignores the problem, the tenant may be able to get the council to intervene. If the landlord continues to ignore the problem of housing disrepair, the tenant may be able to claim housing disrepair compensation. Making a compensation claim against a landlord could include:
- Repairs expenses
- No hot water
- Mould
- Inconvenience that you have experienced as a result of disrepair
As well as compensation for inconvenience, a compensation claim against a landlord could cover:
- Any property damaged as a result of disrepair (for example mould ruining furniture or clothing),
- Loss of income if the damages interfered with your work
- Illness or injury caused
For more information, please call Legal Helpline today to see if you have legitimate grounds to claim.
What Should You Do If You Become Injured Or Ill Due To Your Landlord’s Actions?
If you have become injured or ill due to your landlord’s negligent actions, then collecting evidence is vital to show that negligence has occurred.
Such evidence includes:
- Photographs of the poor living conditions and of your injury (if visible). For example, photos of a leaking drain.
- Medical documents, such as reports and notes, that show the extent of your injury/illness.
- Copies of any emails or letters you have sent to your landlord where you have reported an issue that the landlord failed to fix.
- A personal diary where you have recorded your symptoms and treatment for your injury/illness.
If you need help collecting your evidence, then a solicitor from our panel can help you if you are eligible to claim. So, you should contact us if you have become injured or ill due to your landlord’s negligent actions.
How Much Could I Receive For A Compensation Claim Against A Landlord?
If the negligent actions of your landlord resulted in your injuries, you may want to make a compensation claim against a landlord. However, you may also want to know how much compensation you are entitled to. Although we cannot specifically state how much compensation you may be awarded for a successful claim, we can illustrate how your compensation is calculated and provide examples of compensation figures.
In personal injury claims, compensation awards are divided into two heads of claim, namely general damages and special damages.
General damages compensate you for any injuries you sustained as a result of your landlord’s negligent conduct. Under this head of claim, you may be compensated for both physical and psychological injuries.
General damages are calculated by a team that refers to documentation to ensure you are awarded a fair and accurate amount. For example, they may use reports from an independent medical assessor that state your injuries and compensation guidelines provided by the Judicial College (JCG).
The JCG is a document that lists injuries and their suggestive compensation brackets. The table below provides examples from the JCG, except for the top bracket, that you may view. However, please note that they are suggestive figures only; you are not guaranteed these awards.
| Type of Injury | Severity of Injury | Comments | Guideline Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries/illnesses with special damages | Serious | A compensation award for sustaining more than one serious injury or illness with the finances you have lost due to these injuries/illnesses, such as medication costs and lost earnings. | Up to £500,000+ |
| Foot | Amputation of both feet (a) | Where the ankle joint is lost. | £206,730 to £245,900 |
| Severe (d) | Where both heels are fractured. | £51,220 to £85,460 | |
| Leg | Severe (b) (i) | The most serious injuries that are just short of amputation, such as gross shortening of the leg. | £117,460 to £165,860 |
| Lung Disease | Disease that causes lung function to significantly worsen (c) | Emphysema is included within this bracket. There will also be impaired breathing that restricts physical activity and employment. | £66,890 to £85,460 |
| Bronchitis (e) | Wheezing that doesn't cause any serious symptoms. | £25,380 to £38,210 | |
| Knee | Severe (a) (ii) | A leg fracture that has extended to the knee joint, causing permanent pain. | £63,610 to £85,100 |
| Wrist | Complete loss of function (a) | For example, where an arthrodesis is performed. | £58,710 to £73,050 |
| Less severe (c) | Some permanent disability will still remain. For example, persisting stiffness. | £15,370 to £29,900 |
Financial Losses
If you have suffered from financial losses as a result of your injuries, you may be compensated for them under the head of claim special damages.
Some examples of financial losses you may be compensated for include:
- Lost wages- for the time you needed to take off work
- Missed work benefits such as holiday entitlement, pension contributions and bonuses
- Costs towards healthcare, childcare and travel
- Payments for home adjustment and special equipment – all of which may be necessary to support your recovery
You must provide evidence of your financial losses when claiming compensation for them, such as payslips, bank statements, receipts and bills. If you need help obtaining evidence, our panel of solicitors may support you.
Get in touch with our helpful advisors today to start your claim or to ask any questions regarding your claim, such as, ‘How much can I sue my landlord for emotional distress?’.
No Win No Fee Compensation Claims Against A Landlord
If you are eligible to start a compensation claim against a landlord for injuries you sustained due to their negligence, you may be looking for some legal support.
At Legal Helpline, we have a panel of experienced personal injury solicitors who can use their expertise to help you claim compensation by:
- Supporting you through each stage of the claims process
- Taking the time to answer any of your questions, such as ‘How much can I sue my landlord for emotional distress?’
- Explaining the meaning of legal terminology and legal contracts
- Helping you obtain evidence, then reviewing it and building your case from this
- Explaining how compensation is calculated and showing you examples
- Negotiating compensation settlements with third parties
Although you may be worried about the cost of legal representation, which is understandable, you should have no such concerns when claiming with our panel of solicitors. This is because they offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis. Therefore, you may sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), meaning you have no upfront solicitor fees to pay.
If you sign a CFA and your claim is successful, our panel of solicitors will take a small and legally capped percentage of your compensation for their success fee. If your claim does not succeed, you do not have to pay your solicitor for the work they completed on your claim.
Contact Our Team Today
Legal Helpline has a helpline staffed by knowledgeable advisors. If you think you may be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries, caused by landlord negligence, call us today to see if you have a legitimate claim. During your free accident claims consultation, we will let you know if you have legitimate grounds to make a compensation claim against a landlord. We also estimate how much compensation you could receive and can provide you with the right personal injury solicitor to handle your claim.
If you think you have grounds for making a landlord accident claim, Legal Helpline would love to represent your case. Please call us today on 0333 000 0729, we’re looking forward to receiving your call.
Helpful Links And Resources
If you want to claim compensation from the council, this guide explains how the process works.
Useful facts and figures relating to injuries that occur in the home.
Thanks for reading our guide to making a compensation claim against a landlord.
