New legislation means tenants can now sue landlords if their home is mouldy, cold or noisy
NEW LANDLORD rules have come in to force this week allowing tenants to sue if their home has mould, is too hot or too cold, or if there are noise or light issues.
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act allows unhappy tenants to go to court if their accommodation is not well maintained. Reasons for escalating complaints to the court include if the home is too cold or too hot, if there is damp or asbesto, or if there is noise or lighting issues. Renters living in homes deemed unfit for living now have the right to head to the court. So what exactly is covered by this new law?
Tenants can take action following issues with
Repair
Stability
Damp
Internal arrangement
Natural lighting
Ventilation
Water supply
Drainage and sanitary conveniences
Facilities for preparation and cooking of food and for the disposal of waste water
Hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System
The Bill will help renter’s voices to be heard, by giving them the right to take their landlord to court over unfit and unsafe conditions like these in their home
Crucially, renters do not have to go to their local council with complaints, and can now go straight to court.
Landlords may have to not only take action regarding hazards, but may also have to pay tenants damage compensation.
However, landlords will not have to rebuild homes destroyed or damaged by fires, floods or other natural occurrences.
Shelter, the housing charity, welcome the legislation because it cover the “glaring omissions” of legislation that has come before.
In a blog post, they wrote: “Crucially, the Bill will help private and social renter’s voices to be heard, by giving them the right to take their landlord to court over unfit and unsafe conditions like these in their home.
“The Bill could help to prevent another tragedy like the Grenfell tower fire. This was the starkest reminder of the dangers of unsafe accommodation.
"There are currently almost one million rented homes with hazards that pose a serious risk to health and safety. This affects around 2.5 million people, who’ll all benefit from this landmark change in the law."
Landlords have faced tough new measures over the past 12 months, including new taxation.
Former Chancellor George Osborne introduced the new tax rules in 2015, claiming it would level the playing field between buy-to-let investors and first-time buyers struggling to get onto the property ladder.
Osborne introduced a three per cent stamp duty surcharge on second home purchases and cut the wear-and-tear allowance. He also slashed higherrate tax relief on mortgage interest repayments.