A property law firm’s survey reveals that repairs are the single most common cause of disputes between tenants and landlords.
The survey* collected insights from 559 respondents across the UK. Some 60% of those who experienced disputes cited repairs and property damage as the reason, and 76% of those surveyed, the landlord was considered at fault.
Whilst only 13% of disputes were resolved through mediation or formal negotiations, 6% were resolved in court. 29% of disputes were resolved by the tenant moving out, and 26% through informal negotiations.
“The data hides the emotional cost to tenants and the financial risk for Landlords, by not complying with or addressing repair issues”, says Lynne Swanson, chartered legal executive at Percy Hughes & Roberts Solicitors
This comes at a significant development in housing law, as from today, social landlords must comply with fixed timescales to investigate any significant issues, such as damp or mould, within 14 days and to start repairs within seven days of investigation.
The first phase of Awaab’s Law will initially only affect social housing tenancies, with expectations to be extended to the private rental sector.
Awaab’s Law, when introduced, is intended to protect tenants from dangerous damp and mould conditions in social housing, following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020. The coroner ruled his death was entirely preventable, highlighting serious failings by the landlord and a wider culture of neglect in social housing.
Swanson adds: “It’s a core responsibility of any landlord to ensure tenants have a safe and acceptable living environment. Awaab’s Law will help hold landlords accountable and hopefully prevent such a tragedy from happening in the future.
“Whilst Awaab’s Law relates to social housing in phase one, we expect a similar standard to become the norm for the private sector within the next couple of years. Landlords who act now to improve their repair processes will avoid potential legal challenges and reputational damage that we’re increasingly seeing in disputes.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today