The seven steps.
Free initial assessment
You call, or fill in our form. We ask a short set of questions: who your landlord is, what is wrong, when you reported it, what your landlord did or didn't do, and how it has affected you. This usually takes 10 minutes. We tell you straight away whether you have a claim worth pursuing. If you don't, we say so — we don't waste your time.
We sign you up on no win, no fee terms
If you have a viable claim and you want to proceed, we send you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) — this is the no win, no fee contract. It sets out our success fee in writing. There are no upfront costs to you. You have a 14-day cooling-off period in which you can cancel without paying anything.
Independent property survey
An RICS-qualified surveyor visits your home, photographs the disrepair, and writes an expert report describing the issues and the work needed to put them right. This report is the backbone of your case. The cost of the survey is covered under our no win, no fee arrangement.
Letter of Claim under the Pre-Action Protocol
The Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims is the official set of rules that governs disrepair cases. We send your landlord a formal Letter of Claim setting out the disrepair, the law they have breached, the repairs needed, and the compensation we are seeking. They have 20 working days to respond.
The landlord investigates and responds
Most landlords — especially councils and large housing associations — take this stage seriously. They will usually arrange their own inspection, then either accept our claim, partially accept it, or deny it. They have to disclose the repairs records they hold for your home.
Negotiation and settlement
The vast majority of housing disrepair cases settle without a court hearing. We negotiate with the landlord's solicitors to agree the works that will be done and the compensation you will receive. If a fair offer is made, we recommend you accept it. The decision is always yours.
If we cannot settle, we go to court
If the landlord refuses to make a reasonable offer, we issue court proceedings. A judge then decides. This is rare — it happens in only a small percentage of our cases — but if your case needs it, we will fight it for you. Our no win, no fee agreement covers court proceedings.
Typical timeline.
Your questions answered.
Will I have to go to court?
Almost certainly not. The vast majority of claims settle without a hearing. Courts themselves encourage early settlement.
Will I have to take time off work?
Generally no. The surveyor visit is the main appointment and we work around your schedule.
Will my landlord retaliate?
It is unlawful for your landlord to evict or harass you for making a disrepair claim. We explain your protections in detail on our eviction page.
Can I change my mind after signing?
Yes. You have a 14-day cooling-off period from signing. Even after that, if we haven't done significant work, there's usually no charge to leave.