Case study
Case study 1
Greenwich London Borough Council Tenant Wins Compensation and Repairs After 6-Year Battle
31-year-old Fehintola Ojo was forced to live in horrible conditions for years by Greenwich Borough Council when his requests for assistance were routinely ignored. The flat had mould spreading across its walls, and in his bedroom water dripped from his ceiling onto his bed. said Fehintola The damp began to be a problem around six months after I first moved into the flat seven years ago.
“I’ve had mould on the walls and drips of water coming from the ceiling. I even had to buy a new bed and furniture because the old ones got ruined.
“I kept asking the council to have it repaired and they just didn’t seem to care. They tried to blame me for everything and even said that my dog was part of the problem causing condensation.
“It has caused me a lot of stress and it has affected my asthma too, but the council don’t seem to be in a hurry to fix anything.
“All I want is for the repairs to be made so I can live in a normal home, but I keep getting fobbed off.”
Case study 2
Mr Lewis Leigh – £5,500 compensation
The client, who was disabled and lived alone, had been living in damp and mould as well as defective plasterwork, brickwork and damaged roof tiles.
We spoke to Mr Stephens in February and we settled just 5 months’ later. Not only did we manage to get the necessary repairs made, but we also were able to get necessary changes made to the client’s bedroom plus £2,500 in compensation.
“Throughout my life, I have had to deal with several solicitors for various reasons but never have I had such a professional and personal service. Not only did you keep me in the loop regarding the to-ing and fro-ing of the case but you reassured me at all times that we were right to fight.
Case study 3
A tenant, who first requested assistance from her landlord in 2009, has finally obtained repairs and compensation, more than 10 years later, after contacting us for legal support.
The tenant, who wishes to remain anonymous, contacted her landlord repeatedly over the course of more than a decade, requesting essential repairs. Places for People continually stated that the disrepair issues were due to the tenants’ lifestyle, and thus, not their responsibility. The bulk of the issues were reported between 2012 and 2015, though some ongoing requests dated back to 2009.
After contacting us for assistance, Places for People agreed to make repairs within a reasonable time frame. However, this promise was broken, and repairs were not made by the deadline. Due to the landlord’s inactivity, our panel of solicitors – acting on behalf of the client – were forced to insist once again that the repairs be made with a new deadline and further compensation for the tenant for their continued suffering. In total, Places for People breached their agreement three times before the disrepair was eventually improved. Due to these broken promises, the tenant was issued £1,160 in compensation.
The disrepair affected several rooms including three bedrooms, a living room and a bathroom, each with a combination of mould, damp, and leaks, and was estimated to cost around £4,600 to correct. Additionally, the property suffered from damaged plastering and decorative finishes as well as a lack of ventilation and heating. Water supply issues in the property were deemed to have contributed to mould and damp build-up.
Due to the damp, mould and leaks, the interior decoration of the house had to be replaced on an annual basis to keep the property pleasant enough to live in. The tenant paid out of their own pocket for this upkeep, replacing wallpaper, paintwork, and other decorative touches. They were also forced to replace ruined personal belongings which had been damaged due to the disrepair.
After waiting for her landlord to agree to (and, more importantly, to commit to) the agreed repairs, the tenant is now able to enjoy their home again
Case study 4
Tenant Secures £3,000 in Repairs from Ealing Council
Mr Bhajan Khurana , an Ealing London Borough Council tenant, was awarded £1,450 in compensation after enduring prolonged disrepair issues in her London flat. Additionally, he landlord agreed to carry out over £3,000 worth of necessary repairs to the property. Bhajan, 68, had resided in her two-bedroom flat since 2011. Throughout his tenancy, he experienced persistent problems including excess mold & damp
Case study 5
Barnsley Council tenant awarded £1,500 due to property disrepair of rising damp
Brett , whose name has been changed for anonymity, was forced to live in an unsafe property despite complaining to his landlord multiple times a year. Solicitors successfully awarded him £1,500, plus an additional £500 in compensation. The 59-year-old tenant, who had lived in the property since 2019, made several complaints to his landlord about the unsafe property and the affect it had on his life style.