If repairs are not addressed and pose health and safety risks, you should inform your local authority as soon as possible. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, you can take your landlord to court if your home is not fit for habitation.
If, as a result of unresolved repairs, you’ve suffered losses or inconvenience due to landlord breaches, you can seek compensation in the county court. You can also consider taking your landlord to magistrates’ court under section 82 Environmental Health Act 1990 if your home is a ‘statutory nuisance’ because your health is affected. The magistrates can order the landlord to do necessary works and pay you compensation.
Remember, you should also allow your landlord a reasonable amount of time to address issues. A period of 14 days would be a reasonable amount of time to reply with a plan of how to address the issues raised – unless the issue is urgent, like a broken boiler.
