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Are you are a private tenant living with housing disrepair?
Are you are scared you might not get your deposit back?
Are you frightened about asking for help in case your landlord evicts you?
Are you at breaking point and just can't take it anymore?
If you are a private tenant and would like to discuss your housing issues with us, please give us a call or book a call at a time to suit you!
We hope this information is useful, but please contact us if you have any other questions
The short answer unfortunately is still yes. Whilst there are some changes to the law coming which means landlords will not be able to evict you if you're not at fault, those changes still have yet to come into force and landlords can and will still evict as a means of retalliation.
We help private tenants on the same basis as council and housing association tenants - no win no fee. This means you do not pay anything up front and only pay for our services when your claim is successful.
You can claim compensation for living in a property that is in disrepair, along with any damages for personal items that have been damaged and any injury to your health due to the disrepair.
The main focus of a housing disrepair claim is to get your property repaired to the highest possible standards (not your landlord's standard). Compensation depends on the severity of the disrepair and how long you have been complaining about it. It varies on a case by case basis.
You need to have informed your landlord of the disrepair and given them a reasonable amount of time to make those repairs. If they are ignoring you or refusing to repair then providing you still live in the property and can prove that you have notified the landlord then you can make a claim.
Yes, it can make a difference to your claim. If you are not paying rent (even if you believe that withholding rent is fair due to the poor state of your property) you are in breach of your tenancy agreement and your landlord can evict you.
Recent statistics reveal a significant uptick in landlord possession claims compared to last year. The total number of claims rose from 23,389 to 24,874, marking a 6% increase. Orders also saw a rise from 17,644 to 18,154 (3%), while warrants escalated from 10,503 to 11,407 (9%). Repossessions increased from 6,501 to 6,864, reflecting a 6% uptick. This trend emphasizes the growing difficulties landlords are encountering in reclaiming their properties.
Accelerated procedures have experienced notable growth across all categories: claims are up by 7%, orders by 5%, warrants by 15%, and repossessions by 13% compared to the previous year. This trend highlights the necessity for landlords to remain proactive and updated on changing legal standards.
The average duration from claim to repossession has now extended to 24.1 weeks, an increase from 22.4 weeks in 2023. This change illustrates ongoing challenges within the judicial system that impact landlords seeking prompt resolutions.
The time taken to complete landlord actions has increased for both orders and warrants this quarter, following a general decline since Q3 2021. Current timelines are as follows:
Claims to Order: The median duration has risen to 8.1 weeks, a 0.4-week increase from the same period last year.
Claims to Warrant: Median time has grown to 16.1 weeks, up from 15.3 weeks in the previous year.
Claims to Repossessions: Median duration has increased to 24.1 weeks, compared to 22.4 weeks last year.
Possession claims have risen across all regions, with both private and social landlord claims concentrated heavily in London. The borough of Barking and Dagenham has the highest rate of private landlord possession claims, with 844 claims per 100,000 private landlord households.
From January to March 2024, the regions with the highest rates of private landlord repossessions per 100,000 households are:
Burnley: 196 per 100,000 households
Newham: 173 per 100,000 households
Bexley: 171 per 100,000 households
Five of the top ten boroughs with the highest rates of private landlord repossessions are located in London. Burnley, Newham, and Bexley are particularly notable for their high levels of eviction activity.
Court delays can be exceptionally frustrating for landlords who may have already faced lengthy waits for possession dates. According to the Civil Procedure Rules, a possession claim must be resolved within a minimum of 28 days and a maximum of 8 weeks from filing. However, as the statistics indicate, landlords may experience even longer waits.
The recent abolition of Section 21 Notices raises concerns about the added pressure on the court system. All accelerated claims now require a hearing, further burdening an already strained judicial system. The Labour Government has yet to address the backlog of possession claims or expedite the eviction process, focusing instead on the swift elimination of Section 21 Notices.
Given the ongoing delays, it is crucial for landlords to seek reliable and timely legal advice to ensure their claims move efficiently through the court system. Errors in documentation or insufficient evidence supporting the grounds for possession can lead to costly delays and complications.
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