By Stephen Hudson. Last Updated 22nd September 2025. In this guide, we explain landlord compensation claims and look at how you could be eligible to sue your landlord.
Landlords (including housing associations and local councils) have a responsibility to ensure that the homes they lease are safe for the people who live in and visit them.
If a landlord is aware of a safety issue at a home they are leasing but they fail to take appropriate action, then they may be considered negligent. This lack of response can put residents or visitors of the home in danger of harm.
This may include physical injuries and emotional distress. Those who are harmed because of negligence by a landlord may have grounds to claim against them. Furthermore, in certain circumstances, you can claim for housing disrepair without suffering an injury or illness.
You could instruct a solicitor to support your claim for landlord negligence. Our solicitors offer their services under a type of No Win No Fee agreement. We conclude our guide to landlord compensation claims with an explanation of what No Win No Fee means.
Contact Our Team
Our team of advisors is here to help. If you have any questions about how to claim, please get in touch. They can assess your eligibility and advise on how much compensation you could be entitled to. If you’d like to start a landlord injury claim, contact us today by:
- Calling 0800 073 8804
- Fill in our contact us form.
- Or you can message us through our 24/7 live chat service.
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Am I Eligible For Landlord Compensation Claims?
When you are considering claiming compensation from your landlord, one of the most important considerations is whether or not your landlord has acted in a negligent manner.
The issue of how to prove landlord negligence can be confusing without research and a good understanding of the British legal system.
Different types of landlords, such as private landlords, can only be considered responsible for your accident if they have acted negligently by ignoring the standards set by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
If they are not in breach of this act, nor the duty of care they have towards housing association tenants or private tenants such as yourself, then they likely cannot be considered legally responsible for your accident.
To highlight the difference, please consider the following example. You have suffered a serious leg injury as a result of the collapsing floor of your rented property.
While you may believe your landlord to be responsible for damaged items, if they took the required precautions concerning the floorboards, such as having them regularly maintained, then they may not be acting in a negligent fashion.
However, if your landlord refuses to make repairs to the floor, then they could be considered responsible as a result of negligence. In order to determine landlord negligence, a court hearing may be required.
What Are Housing Disrepair Claims?
Housing disrepair claims are when a tenant sues for landlord negligence without suffering a personal injury. Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord is responsible for ensuring that:
- The exterior and structure of the home are well-maintained. This includes the drains, gutters and external pipes.
- Installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity are in proper working order. This includes basins, sinks and baths.
- Heating and hot water installations also need to be kept in proper working order.
If you notify your landlord of a fault in the structure or any of the above installations and they fail to make it safe in a timely manner, you could be eligible to claim compensation. For example, you notify your landlord that you have no running water due to a burst pipe, but they fail to repair the problem in a timely manner.
As we look at in the next section, landlord compensation claims can also be made if a disrepair causes an injury. To learn more about suing your landlord for negligence, please speak to a member of our advisory team.
Tenant Personal Injury Claims Against The Council
If you are living in a council-owned property and believe you could make a tenant injury claim, you may be scared of challenging the authority of your local council and potentially losing your housing. However, you should not live in fear of making your tenant injury claim.
Your rights to make a personal injury claim against your landlord are set out in the Defective Premises Act 1972. If disrepair resulted in your injury, health condition or worsening of a pre-existing health problem, and your landlord failed to repair the property in a timely manner, you could be eligible for compensation. Furthermore, in addition to claiming for physical injuries, you can also sue for psychiatric problems caused or made worse by the disrepair. We look at how much you can sue your landlord for emotional distress later on in this guide.
If you’re wondering how to claim compensation following landlord negligence, please read on. Alternatively, you can speak to an advisor about claiming for personal injury under the Defective Premises Act to find out if you qualify.
Top Tips On How To Claim Compensation From Your Landlord For A Personal Injury
In this section, we’ve detailed some tips on how to claim compensation from your landlord. As with any other type of claim, getting proof of whatever you’re claiming for is key. Our top tips are as follows:
- Identify the problem, making sure that is an actual fault that needs to be resolved.
- Collect evidence of the fault. Take photographs or video of the fault as well as any additional damages caused by it, such as plaster peeling away or ruined carpets, for example.
- Contact your GP and establish if you are suffering from any health issues as a result of the problem. You have the legal right to request your medical records.
- Inform your landlord of the issue and present your evidence in writing.
- If your landlord fails to resolve the issue, contact us to see about making a claim.
To ask our advisors the question, “Can I sue my landlord?” or to get a free assessment of your eligibility to claim, contact our team today using the details provided below.
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How Long Do I Have To Claim Personal Injury Compensation From My Landlord?
You might be wondering how long you have to start a landlord negligence claim. Generally, when claiming for a personal injury, you will have three years to begin proceedings.
This is set out by the Limitation Act 1980, which also outlines the exceptions to this rule.
However, if you are intending to claim compensation from a landlord for housing disrepair, this time limit differs. In this instance, you will generally have 6 years to begin legal proceedings.
Contact our team today to learn more about the time limit for suing a landlord for either a personal injury or due to housing disrepair.
How To Claim Compensation From Your Landlord
When suing a landlord for negligence, you will need to provide sufficient evidence.
We have given a few examples of evidence you could use during your claim here:
- Photographs of the damage to your home, your injuries and any damaged personal property.
- Correspondence regarding the repair between you and your landlord.
- Medical records highlighting what injuries you suffered.
- Proof of financial losses, such as bank statements, payslips, receipts or invoices.
- Contact information for potential witnesses. The statements will be taken later in the claims process.
For more guidance on how to claim compensation from your landlord or a free, zero-obligation assessment of your eligibility to start a claim, contact our team today using the contact details given below.
Landlord Compensation Claims Payouts
Further to explaining how to claim compensation from your landlord, our advisors can also offer detailed guidance on what compensation you could receive in a successful landlord negligence claim.
In summary, a payout can be split into payments under up to two heads of loss. The main head is called general damages and will always form some part of the compensation award.
General damages compensate for pain and suffering caused by negligence. For example, you could claim against a landlord for a head injury caused by their negligent actions and receive a payment under the general damages head of loss. Our advisors are also asked, “Can I sue my landlord for emotional distress?” If the case meets the eligibility criteria we discussed earlier, you could claim for psychological pain, and the compensation would also come under general damages.
The people responsible for calculating a payment under this head of loss can check the guideline compensation ranges shown in a document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Please note, however, that the first bullet point listed has not been taken from the JCG.
Compensation Brackets
A compensation settlement that accounts for multiple very severe injuries, in addition to financial losses like medical bills, could go up to £1,000,000 or above. However, these, like the brackets below, are just a guide.
- The compensation range for a very severe head injury that requires the person to need full-time care is £344,150 to £493,000.
- Severe leg injuries that are so serious the courts award damages at a similar level to that of a below the knee amputation can attract a payment of £117,460 to £165,860.
- For those who are wondering, ‘how much can I sue my landlord for emotional distress’, the JCG guideline for the most severe psychiatric damage is £66,920 to £141,240.
- A moderately severe case of psychiatric damage can attract a payment in the range of £23,270 to £66,290.
- The JCG gives a guideline value for the most severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) cases to be £73,050 to £122,850.
- In a moderately severe case of PTSD, the bracket is £28,250 to £73,050.
- Should you suffer lung disease such as emphysema, you could receive a payment in the range of £66,890 to £85,460.
- Severe and permanent asthma cases have a guideline award of £52,550 to £80,240.
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What Are Special Damages?
The second head of claim is called special damages. This compensates you for the financial losses you endured as a result of your injuries.
For example, if you were electrocuted as a result of faulty electric wiring in rented accommodation, this could prevent you from working while you recover. In this case, you could potentially claim back any lost earnings under special damages.
This head of claim can also help you cover the costs of:
- Home adjustments.
- Travel costs.
- Medical expenses, such as prescriptions.
- Help with cooking and cleaning.
- Childcare.
However, you have to prove these losses in order to claim them back. Because of this, it can be helpful to keep any relevant invoices or receipts, for example.
To learn more about making a personal injury claim as a social or private tenant, contact our team of advisors today. They can offer more information surrounding the claims process.
Can You Make A No Win No Fee Claim For A Personal Injury Caused By Landlord Negligence?
If you are eligible to claim against your landlord for injuries, then we recommend you do so with the support of an experienced solicitor.
If you contact our advisors about claiming compensation, then they could assess your case, and they may then connect you with one of our experienced No Win No Fee solicitors.
Our No Win No Fee solicitors can support injury claims against a landlord under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
When claiming under this type of agreement, you won’t need to pay any upfront or ongoing fees to your solicitor for their services. Also, you won’t need to pay these fees if your claim proves unsuccessful.
If your claim has a positive outcome, then your solicitor will receive what’s called a success fee. This means your solicitor will take a small, legally capped percentage of the compensation.
How Can Legal Expert Help Me Start The Landlord Compensation Claims Process?
Legal Expert can help you start the landlord compensation claims process by providing a free, no-obligation consultation to determine if you have a valid case. If you do, you may be put in touch with one of our knowledgeable solicitors. They are well-versed in housing disrepair claims and can help you navigate every stage of making a claim.
Our solicitors understand that support can make all the difference when claiming, and that is why they are committed to providing tailored advice and guidance for every client. By working with us at Legal Expert, you can expect:
- Professional representation in all communications and throughout negotiations
- Personalised care plan to meet your unique needs
- Advocating on your behalf to achieve a settlement that reflects the harm you’ve experienced
- Straightforward explanations of legal language and the claims process in general
Your solicitor will also take the time to explain what factors may influence how much compensation for landlord negligence you might receive. As part of this process, they can walk you through their own calculations.
Contact Our Team
If you have any questions about the landlord compensation claims process, please contact our team today. Our friendly advisors offer a free consultation service and may be able to connect you with one of our specialist No Win No Fee solicitors:
- Calling 0800 073 8804
- Filling in our contact us form.
- Or you can message us through our 24/7 live chat service.
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Helpful Links And Further Resources
More Helpful Personal Injury Guides
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- Learn how council housing solicitors can help you claim with this guide.
- Read about housing disrepair compensation claims. Learn about claiming housing disrepair compensation following landlord negligence.
- This guide looks at whether you can claim housing disrepair compensation for a roof leak.
We hope our guide on landlord compensation claims has proven useful. If you still have any questions about suing a landlord in the UK, then you can speak to our advisors online or on the phone using the contact details in this guide.