Special situations and getting more help
Discrimination, harassment, language, NRPF, domestic abuse, hoarding, Wales-specific law, and where else to turn for help.
Guides in this topic
40 plain-English guides. 3 to 5 minute reads, no jargon, free to use.
Can you help me in my language?
Yes. Whatever language you speak, we can help. If English is not your first language, we arrange an interpreter so you can talk to us in your own words, free.
Read · 1 min
Noisy neighbours and antisocial behaviour
Antisocial behaviour and noisy neighbours are not housing disrepair, but here is who can help: your landlord's ASB team, the council, and the police.
Read · 1 min
Housing help if you are experiencing domestic abuse
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, your safety comes first. Here are the free, confidential services that can help, and your housing rights.
Read · 1 min
Disability discrimination by a landlord: your rights
Landlords must not treat disabled tenants unfairly and must make reasonable adjustments. Here is what that means and who can help.
Read · 1 min
I have a disability: does my landlord have to take my repairs more seriously?
If you have a disability and your home is in disrepair, the law gives you more protection than you might realise. The Equality Act 2010 applies to landlords.
Read · 4 min
Landlord refuses you because of benefits, family, or background, is that legal?
'No DSS', 'no benefits', 'no children', 'no pets' policies can be unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. Here is what to do.
Read · 3 min
Right to Rent immigration checks, what your landlord can and cannot do
Right to Rent checks apply to most private rentals in England. Here is what the landlord can lawfully ask for, and what they cannot.
Read · 3 min
I have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), can you still help with disrepair?
NRPF limits welfare benefits but it does not stop your right to safe housing. If your landlord ignores repairs, you may still have a claim.
Read · 1 min
I'm a tenant in Wales, can Support for Tenants help?
Wales has its own housing law. We may still help with serious disrepair. For Welsh-only issues, Shelter Cymru: 0345 075 5005.
Read · 1 min
Living with hoarding behaviour and unsafe housing, who can help?
Hoarding can affect housing safety and the people around it. Here is who can help, how the right support works, and where housing disrepair fits in.
Read · 1 min
My letting agent isn't doing repairs, how do I complain about them?
All letting agents in England must belong to a redress scheme. Complain to the agent first, then to the scheme. Here is how, and where we fit in.
Read · 1 min
Where to get free housing help (Shelter, Citizens Advice, your council)
We help with housing disrepair claims. For homelessness, eviction, benefits, rent arrears, and rehousing, here are the free, trusted services that can help, and how to reach them.
Read · 2 min
My landlord is anonymous or I cannot find them: what to do
Some tenants do not know who their landlord is, or cannot find a name and address to write to. Find out how to trace your landlord and what to do if you still cannot locate them.
Read · 5 min
Student tenants and housing disrepair: your rights
Students are entitled to the same legal protections as any other private tenant. A landlord cannot treat your property differently because you are a student.
Read · 4 min
Park homes and mobile homes: disrepair and your rights
If you live in a park home or mobile home on a residential site, your legal position is different from that of a standard tenant. The law that protects you,
Read · 4 min
Housing rights for Gypsies and Travellers on permanent sites
Gypsies and Travellers living on authorised permanent sites, whether council-run or privately operated, have housing rights that are similar in many ways to
Read · 4 min
Housing rights for wheelchair users: disrepair, adaptations and access
Wheelchair users face a distinctive set of housing challenges. Where a home is not properly adapted, everyday life becomes harder or impossible. Where the
Read · 4 min
Housing rights for older tenants: a practical guide
Older tenants, particularly those living in the private rented sector later in life, or in social housing they have occupied for many years, face a
Read · 4 min
Acquired brain injury: housing rights and disrepair
If you have an acquired brain injury (ABI), from a stroke, head injury, encephalitis, or another cause, and your rented home has disrepair, you have the same
Read · 3 min
Mental capacity and housing decisions: a guide for tenants and carers
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 sets out the legal framework for making decisions on behalf of people who may lack the capacity to make certain decisions for
Read · 3 min
Help for tenants who cannot go online: accessing housing rights without the internet
Not everyone has access to the internet, a smartphone, or the confidence to use digital services. If you are in this situation, this guide explains how you
Read · 3 min
Refugees and asylum seekers: housing rights and disrepair
People who are refugees or asylum seekers in the UK often live in housing that is below the standard they should be entitled to. Here you will find out about
Read · 3 min
Racial discrimination in housing: your rights as a tenant
Racial discrimination in housing is unlawful. Whether you are looking for somewhere to rent or are already a tenant, you have legal protections. Here is what
Read · 3 min
Prison leavers and housing: your rights
Leaving prison without somewhere to live makes it much harder to rebuild your life. But prison leavers do have housing rights, and the council may have a
Read · 3 min
Housing rights for veterans: what support is available
Leaving the armed forces can be a difficult transition, and housing is one of the biggest challenges many veterans face. Below, we set out the housing rights
Read · 4 min
Immigration status and housing rights: what you need to know as a tenant
Your immigration status can affect your housing rights in England. Some housing support is only available to people who have a right to reside in the UK, and
Read · 4 min
Single parent housing rights: what you need to know
If you are a single parent renting privately or living in social housing, you have the same legal rights as any other tenant. You may also have additional
Read · 3 min
Kinship carers: housing rights and support
Kinship carers are people who look after children who cannot live with their parents, usually grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other family members. Kinship
Read · 3 min
Autism and housing rights: what you are entitled to
Autistic people face specific challenges in housing, from sensory issues that make some properties unsuitable, to difficulties navigating applications and
Read · 4 min
Learning disability and housing rights
People with learning disabilities have the same right to safe and suitable housing as anyone else, and have additional legal protections to help make that a
Read · 3 min
Mental health and housing: your rights as a tenant
Poor housing conditions can seriously affect mental health. And if you live with a mental health condition, problems with your home, damp, disrepair, cold,
Read · 3 min
LGBTQ+ tenants: your housing rights
LGBTQ+ tenants have the same housing rights as any other tenant, and additional protections against discrimination. We cover your rights, what discrimination
Read · 3 min
Care Act housing rights: what tenants need to know
The Care Act 2014 introduced a legal framework for adult social care in England that has implications for people with care and support needs, including in
Read · 3 min
Modern slavery and housing: rights and support for victims
Victims of modern slavery, including trafficking, forced labour, and domestic servitude, often face unsafe housing conditions or homelessness as a direct
Read · 3 min
Pregnancy and housing rights: what tenants need to know
Pregnancy can affect your housing rights in several important ways. Whether you are in private rented accommodation, social housing, or facing homelessness,
Read · 3 min
Disability adaptations in rented homes: your rights
If you are disabled and living in a rented property, you may have the right to ask your landlord to make adaptations, changes to the property that help you
Read · 3 min
Sheltered housing: your rights as a tenant
Sheltered housing provides accommodation for older people, often with a warden or scheme manager and access to communal facilities. Understanding your rights
Read · 3 min
Domestic abuse injunctions and your housing: what to know
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, the law gives you tools to protect yourself and your home, including legal orders that can remove the abuser from the
Read · 3 min
High-rise building safety: your rights as a tenant
The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced significant new protections for residents of tall buildings following the Grenfell Tower fire. If you live in a
Read · 3 min
Shared ownership and disrepair: who is responsible for repairs?
Shared ownership is a hybrid arrangement: you buy a share of a property and pay rent on the remaining share to a housing association. Responsibility for
Read · 4 min
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