Disrepair claims

You might have seen adverts on the radio or social media about making a claim against your landlord for not fixing things in your home. These adverts are from companies that want you to make a “disrepair claim”.

These companies often contact people who live in council homes. They might even call or email you directly.

If we don’t fix things in your home that we’re responsible for, and we don’t do it in a fair amount of time, your home might be classed as “in disrepair”.

If you choose to go ahead with a claim, the company will sell your case to a solicitor (a type of lawyer). The solicitor will speak to us for you and handle your claim, but this will cost money.

There are some risks if you decide to make a disrepair claim:

• Hidden costs – You might have to pay for insurance or legal fees, especially if your claim doesn’t win.
• Fees if you change your mind – If you stop the claim partway through, you may still have to pay for what’s already been done.
• Takes a long time and can be stressful – Some claims take years and you might have to go to court.
• Breaking your tenancy agreement – These companies often tell you not to let us into your home while the claim is going on. But this breaks the rules of your tenancy agreement.

We want you to be happy with the service we give you. We’ll always try our best to fix things and look after your home, so you don’t feel like you need to make a claim.

If you’re not happy with our repairs service, please contact our repairs support team.

During office hours (Monday to Friday 8am–5pm):

• Call: 023 9284 1311
• Email: repairssupportteam@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• Visit your local housing office
• Report online

Out of hours (for emergencies only):

• Call 023 9282 4244

If you don’t want to speak to the repairs team, you can make a formal complaint. We’ll do our best to fix the problem and learn from it.

• Email HNBLandlordComplaints@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• Call 023 9260 6383
• Write to us:
  HNB Landlord Complaints
  Portsmouth City Council
  Floor 2, Core 2-3
  Civic Offices
  Portsmouth
  PO1 2EP

For full details of our complaints process, see our Landlords Complaints Policy.

You can access independent help and advice from other organisations, including:

• Citizens Advice Bureau
• Shelter
• Housing Ombudsman Service