GenerationRent has launched a petition seeking to make private renters eligible for legal aid in disrepair cases. The petition hopes to tackle landlord negligence and help tenants recover the damages.

While it is the landlord’s legal duty to ensure that their rental properties are kept in a good state of repair, many tenants still live in disrepair. Damp, mould and leaks are only few of the problems private tenants face on day-to-day basis. Sadly, the statistics show that as many as 37% of private tenants suffer from ill health, anxiety and damage to their belongings as a result of mould and damp in their homes.

To make matters worse, it is currently not possible to get legal aid for compensation for disrepair. This issue is the reason for Generation Rent’s petition “Make It Easier To Sue Landlords For Mould”.

Despite catchy title, the appeal for signatures is not just for tenants living with mould and damp in their homes. Instead, the petition makes a case for all disrepair issues in privately rented properties. It argues that, by extending legal aid to cover damages claims, the government would make it easier for renters to take action against negligent landlords.

To help this initiative, Generation Rent urges all private tenants to sign the petition here. By doing so, you can make private renters eligible for legal aid and help them recover damages as a result of landlord negligence.

Whilst Private Renter’s Support currently does not offer one-to-one advise on issues, please refer to our Get Support page for a list of organizations who will be able to. If you cannot find what you are looking for, you can also drop us a line via our webform. Please ensure to describe the issue in a short paragraph and we will try our best to point you in the right direction.