Bromford tenant secures works worth around £10,000 and over £2,000 damages two months after instructing us

Our client, a Bromford tenant in Rowley Regis in the West Midlands, lived with a leak for between six months and a year. The leak caused damp and mould. The household includes young children.

They reported the leak to the landlord. The landlord failed to repair the property despite knowing about it, and the damage continued.

They instructed Antony Hodari Solicitors in August 2026 on a no win, no fee basis. Our independent surveyor inspected in September 2026 and estimated the repairs at around £2,800; the landlord's own surveyor produced a schedule of works valued at around £10,000, and the works were agreed on that basis.

The claim settled in October 2026 on the acceptance of a Part 36 offer, two months after instruction and without Court proceedings. Bromford agreed to carry out the repair works in its own schedule within 174 days and to pay our client over £2,000 in damages and their legal costs.

What problems had our client reported?

Our client had reported a leak for between six months and a year before contacting us. The water caused damp and mould in the home.

Belongings were damaged, and the children's health and schooling were affected. They found the situation overwhelming at times and felt ignored and unsupported by the way it was handled.

Living with the unresolved leak while managing a young family caused them stress and anxiety.

Why did the problem persist?

The problem persisted because the landlord failed to repair the property despite the leak being reported. A leak that is not fixed keeps the home wet, and the damp and mould spread with it.

The landlord's own surveyor later put the works needed at around £10,000, which shows how much needed to be done.

What did Antony Hodari Solicitors do?

We sent a letter of claim in August 2026 under the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims. The Protocol requires the landlord to disclose its repair records and respond within a set timetable.

We arranged an independent surveyor's inspection in September 2026. The surveyor, instructed by Antony Hodari Solicitors, estimated the repairs at around £2,800. The landlord's own surveyor then produced a schedule of works valued at around £10,000, and the works were agreed on the basis of the landlord's schedule.

With the works agreed, we negotiated a settlement without the need to issue Court proceedings.

Elbis Thapa, who handled the claim, commented: "Our client was trying to manage a young family around a leak nobody was fixing; the works their landlord's own surveyor agreed show how much had been left undone."

How did the claim settle?

The claim settled in October 2026 on the acceptance of a Part 36 offer, two months after our client instructed us and without Court proceedings being issued.

Bromford agreed to carry out the repair works in its own schedule within 174 days and to pay our client over £2,000 in damages and their legal costs. The settlement contained no confidentiality clause.

Is a housing association responsible for a leak and the damp it causes?

Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, a housing association must keep the structure and exterior of the home in repair. That duty includes the installations for water, sanitation and heating. A leak from the structure or from pipework the landlord controls, and the damp and mould it causes, will usually fall within that duty. Liability depends on the tenancy, the defect, notice to the landlord, a reasonable time to repair and the landlord's response.

In this case the landlord's own surveyor produced the schedule of works that was agreed.

Can I claim for belongings damaged by a leak?

Yes. Where disrepair the landlord is responsible for damages your belongings, the cost can be claimed as special damages alongside general damages for living with the disrepair. Keep receipts and photographs where you can.

In this case our client's belongings were damaged, and the damages secured were over £2,000.

What happens if the landlord's own expert agrees the works?

It usually shortens the claim. Once the works are agreed, the remaining questions are the timetable, the damages and the costs, and the claim can often settle without proceedings.

Here the works were agreed on the landlord's own schedule, and the claim settled two months after instruction.

What is a Part 36 offer?

A Part 36 offer is a formal offer to settle made under Part 36 of the Civil Procedure Rules. It can be made before or after proceedings are issued. If it is refused and the Court later awards an outcome at least as good as the offer, the party who refused it usually faces costs consequences.

This claim settled on the acceptance of a Part 36 offer in October 2026.

How long does a housing disrepair claim take?

It depends on the defects, the landlord's response and whether proceedings are needed. Where the landlord engages and the works are agreed early, a claim can conclude within a few months.

This claim concluded two months after instruction, without Court proceedings.

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