For ‘Inconvenience and/or suffering’

You will be compensated for ‘pain, suffering and loss of amenity’ for the inconvenience and distress caused by having had to live in a property in disrepair.

This is often calculated with reference to your rent. Basically, you receive a percentage of your rent back for the period in which you have had to live with disrepair (limited to a period of no more than 6 years).

It doesn’t matter if someone else pays your rent (e.g. if you are in receipt of Housing Benefits), this is just a way of calculating how much compensation you may be entitled.

The percentage that you receive will depend on how severe the disrepair is at your property. There is no hard and fast rule, it will be decided by comparing past cases to yours.

For damaged property/belongings

If your belongings have been damaged as a result of the disrepair, for example water damaged by a leak, you can be compensated for this loss.

You will not usually be awarded the replacement value for the item, but a sum to reflect the fact that the expected lifetime of the item has been cut short.

The amount you receive will also depend on the proof you are able to provide.

If you don’t have proof you may still be awarded something, but it is unlikely, and in any event it would be less than if you did provide proof.

For any additional expenses

If you have incurred additional expenses as a consequence of the disrepair, and beyond what you would do if the disrepair did not exist, for example heating costs as a result of poor thermal performance of failed glazed units, you can be compensated for this loss.

The amount you receive will depend on the proof you are able to provide.