If you’ve been renting an apartment or studio for a while, only to notice your home slowly begin to deteriorate, it’s crucial to let your landlord know immediately. If they remain indifferent and ignore your pleas, the next step may be to file for a disrepair claim.
A disrepair claim is a legal solution that lets your landlord carry out the necessary repairs and avoid further damages. Your request involves compensation which involves your rent going down, due to the inconvenience the lack of repairs has caused the tenants.
If the following six statements are true, you are in just the right position to file a disrepair claim:
Your Landlord Shows Lack of Interest Performing Their Responsibilities
For you to determine if it’s time to file for a disrepair claim, you must provide necessary proof declaring that your landlord overlooked their obligations to maintain the building’s proper state despite your constant reminders over weeks, months, or even years.
Your Landlord Fails to Acknowledge the Flaws
After you’ve filed a complaint, any official records of repairs need to be obtained as they will serve as proof that your landlord acknowledges the damage. As the tenant, you can solidify your claim by producing satisfactory evidence that you have contacted your landlord multiple times regarding the damage, to no avail.
Their testimonies can come in the form of text messages, online chats, phone calls, in-person conversations, or letters. To back up your disrepair claim, you must compile all the necessary data to ensure they’re complete. You can request a copy of the call logs and receipts of the damages involved for more solid proof.
You Have Tenants Experiencing the Same Protests
Tenants who are determined about filing a disrepair claim usually keep a copy of their complaints, and they often reach out to other tenants who have made similar actions regarding the same impairments.
You Can Provide Relevant Documents
Before you make any drastic actions that will lead you to file a disrepair claim, you first have to guarantee that you have all the documents disclosed with your landlord so you can determine satisfactory compensation.
Suppose you bring out files that your landlord doesn’t know about. In that case, it could mean that there are missing documents involved and the involvement of the court may be required, especially if you want to end with a liable solution that forces your landlord to bring up all documents.
Your Landlord Chooses to Ignore Complaints
You should expect your landlord to keep a complete list of records of the repairs done in the building, regardless of the month or year it took place. This will determine if they made any changes over time or if the defect wasn’t too big to become an inconvenience for most tenants.
Meanwhile, if you request your landlord for necessary improvements yet they continue to avoid providing any arrangements, you could have a strong case proving that they are choosing to ignore your complaints on purpose.
Your Landlord Can’t Present Proof of Inspection
If you have incomplete records to file a disrepair claim, your landlord is still expected to call on an expert. A contractor, plumber, and electrician have the authority to investigate the damages in the building, whether it involves your unit or any communal area that all tenants benefit from.
It’s a landlord’s job to reach out to a contractor at the first sign of damage to their property, followed by acquiring the records of inspection to show that they were, in fact, aware of the defects, whether a tenant told them about it or not.
Conclusion
To ensure a secure and well-maintained home, your landlord needs to guarantee that they will make the necessary actions the moment they receive notices of building repairs. If they don’t do anything about it, they will end up losing tenants and the credibility to keep the building livable for future renters. If you’re worried about the current state of the property you’re living in, you should reach out to a professional who will help you sort out legal issues.
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