Legal aid is money from the government to pay for legal help. For housing disrepair claims, it is mostly not on offer in the way some people hope. Other
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Legal aid is money from the government to pay for legal help. For housing disrepair claims, it is mostly not on offer in the way some people hope. Other routes include Conditional Fee Agreements and free advice services. It helps to know how each route works.
The short answer
Legal aid is usually not on offer for housing disrepair claims. There are only a few exceptions. The main way to get a lawyer for disrepair is no-win-no-fee. This is also called a conditional fee agreement. There are also free advice services that can help you at no cost.
Why legal aid is largely unavailable for disrepair
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) took legal aid away from most civil cases. This includes most housing disrepair claims. The government felt that no-win-no-fee deals give people enough access to justice for these cases.
Before 2012, legal aid covered more civil housing cases. Today, the funded routes that are left are much narrower.
When legal aid may still be available
Legal aid may still be on offer in a few housing situations. These include:
- Homelessness: If you face homelessness, or you are fighting a homelessness decision, a legal aid firm may be able to help. This is a separate area from disrepair.
- Injunctions for domestic abuse: If you need a court order to do with housing and domestic abuse, legal aid may be on offer.
- Some disrepair linked to a possession claim: In rare cases, disrepair is raised as a defence or counterclaim when your landlord tries to evict you. If legal aid is on offer anyway, a legal aid firm might be able to advise on the disrepair part as well. This is not the normal route.
- Exceptional case funding: Sometimes not funding a case would break someone's human rights. In those cases, you can apply for exceptional case funding (ECF). The bar is high and the applications take a lot of time.
Finding a legal aid solicitor
You may think you qualify for legal aid on a housing matter. If so, use the gov.uk legal aid finder at gov.uk/find-legal-advice. It helps you find a civil legal aid solicitor near you. You will need to pass a means test, which looks at your income and savings. You will also need to pass a merits test, which looks at how likely you are to win.
Legal aid is only on offer through solicitors and firms that hold a legal aid contract for civil housing work.
No-win-no-fee: the main route for disrepair
For housing disrepair claims, a Conditional Fee Agreement is a common funding route. The exact funding promise is: No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Support for Tenants checks whether you may have a claim and refers suitable matters to an SRA-regulated panel solicitor. The solicitor explains the written funding agreement before you sign.
Free advice services
Several groups give free advice on housing disrepair. You do not have to pay for a lawyer to use them:
- Citizens Advice, free advice, near you and across the country
- Shelter, housing helpline and online advice
- Your local council, may have tenant relations officers or housing advice teams
- Law centres, free legal advice in many areas
These services can help you learn your rights, write letters, and decide whether to go ahead with a claim. They cost you nothing.
When should I contact Support for Tenants?
Do you want to know if your housing disrepair gives you a no-win-no-fee claim? Call us on 0800 030 4669. The call is free and you are under no obligation.
No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Sources
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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 15 June 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, not a promise; every case is different.
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