Housing disrepair claims

RSK Group company Pellings has performed the role of expert witness for several years in relation to housing disrepair claims under various UK acts and guidance, including the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the government’s Decent Homes Standard, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) pursuant to Section 2 of the Housing Act 2004, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 and the Equalities Act 2020.

Pellings acts as single expert for both solicitors and their clients, the claimants, who are predominantly social housing tenants, as well as local authorities and housing association landlords (the defendants). We regularly receive instructions from parties on both sides of a claim who request us to undertake the service as an agreed expert. We have provided over 250 expert reports in the past two years just in London and the south east.

We pride ourselves on providing a truly impartial service from chartered building surveyors, who are not only thorough when undertaking inspections, but are experts at diagnosing both the causes and suitable remedies, including budget costings, for typical building defects. We also understand where any liabilities may exist under the relevant acts.

When we act for the claimants, our clients inform us that the quality and detail of our reports, combined with our reputation in the field of social housing and insistence on only delivering this service using chartered building surveyors, enables them to quickly reach a settlement without incurring the costs and delays of pursuing claims through the courts. This is a real benefit for the claimants, who have often been living in substandard housing for several years. It ensures that the required repairs are undertaken without any unnecessary further delay.

We often find that, having produced a report in support of a claim against a particular landlord, we are subsequently approached on a later claim by that same landlord or their solicitors, requesting us to produce a report for them in defence of that claim.

One of our clients, Jessica Hampson, MD of CEL Solicitors, states, “CEL Solicitors are a ‘people before profits’ law firm. We pride ourselves on our ‘clients first’ approach and whenever we engage the services of any third party, either directly or on behalf of our client, it is imperative that company is aligned with our beliefs and values. We believe that Pellings shares our desire to gain the best results for our clients.

“In February 2019, CEL Solicitors received instruction on one of the worst cases of disrepair to date and advised our client to instruct Pellings as our appointed surveyor. The level of disrepair across all areas of the property was a huge concern. We advised our client to use Pellings owing to their thorough approach and attention to detail. Our surveyor left no stone unturned and our expert report proved invaluable in enabling us to obtain compensation in excess of £19,000 for our client along with repairs to the value of £40,000.”

For further information, please contact Alan Jeffery, +44 (0)7583 076960