Leak nightmare: Wandsworth Borough Council tenant fights for her rights to live in a decent home

Wandsworth Borough Council tenant, Ms M, moved into her dream property following retirement. However, within months a leak developed and her life quickly became a nightmare. Mrs M had to cover her furniture in plastic to protect it from the water ingress. As her living room was unusable, she decided to pursue a legal claim to finally fix the leaks.

When Ms M began her tenancy in London, she was fully intent of staying there for life. So, when leaks started to come into her living room, she was devastated.

“I intended it to be the last home I ever move into,” she said. “I spent over £4000 on furniture to make the house as nice as I possibly could.”

Unbelievably, it was only after we obtained documents from the landlord, that we discovered the tenant before Ms M had been complaining about extensive water ingress in the living room for years, yet Wandsworth Borough Council did not believe any repair works needed to be done. A stance they initially doubled down on when we assisted Ms M with her claim.

“The water is clearly unsanitary,” Ms M added on the contrary. “The odour is so strong that I struggle to do anything in my living room.”

The leaks in her living room caused damp and foul smells. It also damaged the plaster of the ceilings and walls, as well as the carpet. Given her landlords response, with no works scheduled, Ms M was left with no other choice than to seek legal advice.

Here at Pabla & Pabla, we thought from the get-go that Ms M had a strong case. However, even after the independent surveyor confirmed ingress and identified external damage to a balcony above which could be causing the leak, Wandsworth Borough Council delayed their response.

All the while, Ms M still couldn’t use her living room. “I had to keep my new furniture wrapped in plastic to prevent any of the leaking water from ruining it,” she said.

Despite the claim and evidence presented to them, Wandsworth Borough Council still would not schedule works or investigate fully. As a result, Ms M was left with no option but to issue court proceedings.

Initially post issue, they carried out a visual inspection, where they claimed the damp patch had not spread. Months later, they sent a contractor out with a damp meter, who suggested that the walls were dry.

At Pabla & Pabla, based upon our conversations with Ms M, we were sceptical of the test results presented. To combat this, we sent an agent to the property days later, who confirmed that the walls were still wet. Following this, even a contractor sent round by Wandsworth Borough Council refused to paint in the living room because of the damp ceiling.

After continued and extended negotiations, partner at Pabla & Pabla Chrisitan Potter agreed a settlement based upon the surveyors recommended works to be done, together with compensation for the problems Ms M faced.

Here at Pabla & Pabla, we know that landlords can delay, and sometimes even deny important works. In Ms M’s case, Wandsworth Borough Council initially denied and then at best only offered quick fix solutions, despite her regular complaints.

If you are experiencing problems with housing disrepair, and you’ve complained repeatedly to your landlord about it, please fill out a form or call us for free advice today.