If your home was not fit to live in, your compensation can include money back on the rent you paid during that time. Here is how that works.
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Direct answer
Yes, often. If part of your home was unusable or unfit because of disrepair, the compensation from a claim can include money back on the rent you paid during that time. This is not the same as withholding rent, which is risky. The safer route is a claim. To find out more, call us free on 0800 030 4669.
How "money back on rent" works
When a court or settlement looks at a disrepair claim, it can award:
- A share of your rent back for the time the home was not fit to live in (sometimes called rent abatement)
- Money for the distress and inconvenience
- The cost of belongings damaged by the disrepair
- Money for any illness the disrepair caused
See how much compensation could I get.
This is not the same as withholding rent
Stopping your rent yourself is risky and can put you in arrears or at risk of eviction. A claim is the safer way to get money back. See can I withhold rent if my landlord won't do repairs.
How we can help
We will look at how long your home was unfit and what you have been through, and tell you what a claim could include. Call us free on 0800 030 4669.
Free call: 0800 030 4669 | Start your claim
Sources
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 25 May 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.
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Still stuck?
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