(Fitness for Human Habitation Act ) The Bill means more Protection for Tenants

The Bill means more Protection for Tenants

The aim of the Act is to make it easier for tenants to raise grievances over disrepair with negligent landlords.

Disrepair includes severe damp and mould problems, central heating and water supply issues, gas and water leaks, and pest/vermin infestations. These different types of disrepair often occur as a result of one another

Is your property free from damp and mould?

Can you actually prove it?

Is there adequate natural light in the property?

Is the property adequately ventilated?

Does the property have an adequate supply of hot and cold water?

Is the property too hot or too cold?

The good news is that as with a landlord’s repairing obligations in Section 11 of the LTA 1985 you will have a reasonable period of time, once notified that the property is unfit for human habitation, to put right the defects, after which the tenant then has the option to sue directly for damages.

The LTA 1985 implies a promise on the part of a tenant to give access to you or to your surveyor to inspect the property, to prepare a report and to then carry out any remedial works. If the surveyor decides that the fault lies with the tenant (i.e. because of lifestyle), then you will not be responsible.

The legislation states that you are not responsible for unfitness caused by the tenant’s failure to behave in a tenant-like manner.

The two main points that the majority of landlords will need to focus on are their time to repair and their ability to monitor the on-going condition of their property portfolio. Taking too long to repair a property now has significantly more severe consequences.

At Wall and Roof Damp Specialist Limited we can provide help for both landlords and tenants alike. We will inspect the property for any damp defects which deem the property to be inhabitable; we will then get to the root of the issue by determining its cause and then provide an impartial report on our findings.

We really do have the knowledge to identify and provide the best solutions to avoid costly court cases.