If a leak, mould, unsafe wiring or other disrepair has caused an injury or illness, you may be able to claim for both the disrepair and the harm.
Direct answer
Yes, often. If disrepair in your home has caused you or your family an injury or an illness, you can usually claim for both the disrepair itself and for the harm caused. The two parts can run together. To find out, call us free on 0800 030 4669.
Examples of what counts
- A slip on a leak-soaked floor that caused an injury.
- Asthma made worse by damp and mould.
- A fall on a broken staircase.
- A burn from an unsafe boiler.
What evidence helps
- A letter from your doctor linking the condition to the home. See using health evidence in a disrepair claim.
- Hospital or A&E records.
- Photos of the disrepair that caused the injury or worsened the illness.
- Time limits: usually three years from the date of injury, or from when you realised the home was the cause.
How we can help
We can look at the disrepair and the health impact together. If a personal-injury element is involved, the housing-disrepair solicitor we refer to may handle it as part of the same case, or refer the personal-injury side to a colleague who covers that work. Call us free on 0800 030 4669 and we will tell you honestly how the two fit.
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Sources
- Defective Premises Act 1972, section 4 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (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 If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.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 28 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?
Call us free or start a claim online. We'll tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.