Octavia Housing Housing Disrepair Claims

Are you renting from Octavia Housing? Are they refusing to carry out much-needed repairs in your home? You may be able to seek compensation from Octavia Housing today. Find out how our expert disrepair solicitors can help.

The following page gives details about Octavia Housing and information in relation to filing a housing disrepair claim against them. If you are you suffering with damp, mould or other repair issues and they are failing to carry out repairs, you could be owed thousands in compensation.

Try our quick eligibility checker to see if you can claim compensation. If you need any more advice, our expert team at DisrepairClaim.co.uk are more than happy to help. Get in touch by starting the checker here.

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• QUICK MENU:
• Who are Octavia Housing?
• What are housing associations?
• What is Housing Disrepair?
• What sort of compensation can I claim against Octavia Housing?
• What are examples of disrepair?
• How much compensation can I receive from Octavia Housing?
• Is there a time limit for legal action against Octavia Housing?
• Do I need to give Octavia Housing time to carry out the repairs?
• Will I need evidence against Octavia Housing?
• How can DisrepairClaim.co.uk help?

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Who are Octavia Housing?

What are housing associations?

In the UK, housing associations provide what is sometimes known as “social housing”. They provide a wide range of housing options for UK residents. Associations can be private, non-profit, local authority (council), charities, or limited partnerships.

Housing associations are independent, though they are regulated by the government and commonly receive public funding.

• There are over 1,600 housing associations in the UK
• They provide over 2 million homes
• For over 5 million residents

The phrase “social housing” is a loose term which can incorporate government-owned council housing, as well as other affordable accommodation. The key factor for housing associations and social housing is that it is generally seen as more affordable than private renting and usually provides a much more secure, long-term tenancy.

Social renters have more legal rights, more control over their homes, and less chance of being wrongly evicted. Having said this, if there is disrepair in your social housing, you are still more than entitled to seek compensation for any suffering.

What is Housing Disrepair?

As a tenant, you have a right to live in a property that is safe and suitable to live in. If you have repairs that need carrying out in your home that make it unsafe or inconvenient to live in, they you have ongoing disrepair. If you are a tenant living in a rented property, your landlord is required by law to ensure:

If you are a tenant living in a rented property, your landlord is required by law to ensure:

• Your home is in a good state of repair structurally
• There is no rising damp and mould in the property
• You have access to safe electricity, gas, and water
• You have working hygiene facilities, such as toilets, basins, sinks
• Your home is free from vermin and infestations
• You have a working heating system
• Your drains and gutters are working correctly
• Your roof is intact and safe

If you have any of the above issues in your home, you may be entitled to compensation from your Octavia Housing. We can help force them carry out any needed repairs, and compensate you for any losses and/or suffering.

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What sort of compensation can I claim against Octavia Housing?

The compensation you can recover from Octavia Housing can range from a number of different things depending on your circumstances. Generally, you can claim for actual financial loss as well as a general inconvenience you may have suffered.

This includes:

Damage to Belongings

Damp and mould can lead to damage property, including ruined clothing and potentially damaged electrical goods. If any disrepair has led to damaged property, you can claim compensation to the equivalent of the value of the property.

Financial Loss

The disrepair in your home may have led to increased spending. If you have no boiler, your electric bill may be higher due to increase usage of plug-in heaters, for example. We advise keeping all receipts and bills as evidence of this increased spending.

Inconvenience

You can also claim compensation for any inconvenience that the disrepair has caused you. The amount of this sort of compensation depends on the severity, but it can include:

• Any disruption to your daily life caused by the  disrepair
• Not having full use of your home
• Time spent waiting in your home for builders or inspections

Damage to health

There is also potential to bring a personal injury claim against Octavia Housing if the disrepair has made you ill or injured you. This includes:

• Claims for any loss of earnings as a result of the injury or illness
• Compensation for any extra expenses, like prescriptions, medical bills, or extra travel to the hospital

We can offer the below example:

disrepair Issue: Faulty boiler for one year, continuously

Rent per month: £700pcm

Value of rent for the period of the claim: £700 x 12 = £8,400

Potential compensation, valued at 25%: £2,100

Every case is different, and we would advise using our eligibility checker to see if you can claim. Our experts will be able to tell you how much you can claim early on in your case.

What are examples of disrepair?

Our housing disrepair lawyers have seen various types of disrepair. Some types that Octavia Housing might be liable to fix include:

• Severe Mould
• Faulty Electrics
• Crumbling Plasterwork Throughout
• Damaged or Unsafe Roof
• Damaged or Unsafe External Walls
• Flooding
• Sinking Floors or Building
• Exposed Asbestos
• Extensive Repair Problems

How much compensation can I receive from Octavia Housing?

The amount of compensation you might be able to claim depends entirely on your specific case. The factors in determining the amount include:

• How long the  disrepair has lasted
• The severity of the  disrepair
• How it has impacted you and your family
• The amount of rent you pay
• Whether it has damaged property
• Whether you have suffered any illness

Is there a time limit for legal action against Octavia Housing?

You can bring a claim against Octavia Housing during your tenancy or after it finishes. There are some time limits, however.

For any disrepair claim, you have up to six years to bring forward a claim. If you have suffered personal injury or illness, this time limit is three years.

The beginning of this time is from the point your housing association was made aware of the  disrepair and should have carried out the work.

Do I need to give Octavia Housing time to carry out the repairs?

Yes, by law Octavia Housing need to be given some time to carry out the repairs after you have notified them. We advise notifying them about the disrepair as soon as you are aware. You are required to notify your housing association via email, text message, via letter, or in person (though we advise keeping evidence of the interaction):

21 Days before filing a housing disrepair claim

Will I need evidence against Octavia Housing?

Any evidence of the  disrepair and the resulting losses you have suffered can help your claim massively. When assessing your case, we will ask for evidence to support your claim. This can include:

• A copy of the tenancy agreement
• Copies of any correspondence between you and Octavia Housing
• Photos of the disrepairs
• Photos of damaged property
• Receipts of replaced items
• Copies of medical reports or notes from medical visits
• Any other expert evidence, from a surveyor or an Environmental Health Officer, for example

How can DisrepairClaim.co.uk help?

Do you have a potential housing disrepair claim against Octavia Housing? If you are you suffering with damp, mould or other important repair issues, our panel can help you claim compensation and force your housing association to carry out the repairs.

If you feel ignored by Octavia Housing despite raising concerns about  disrepair, we can help. You do not have to settle for poor living conditions!

At DisrepairClaim.co.uk we can help you to get the compensation you are owed and have the repairs to your home completed. To start, all you have to do is

1. Fill out our online checklist – This takes less than 60 seconds
2. If accepted, a member of our panel will call you back to arrange a FREE visit to take images and assess the issues
3. Finally, we will contact your landlord on your behalf and negotiate compensation.