To take court action, you need to show that:

• your landlord is or was responsible for the repairs

• your landlord did not fix the problem within a reasonable time

• you told your landlord about the problem or they knew about it

You might also have to prove that the problems caused damage to your health or property, or cost you money.

Time limits

You have up to:

• 6 years for most claims

• 3 years for a personal injury claim

The time starts from when repairs should have been done.

Claiming compensation after you move out

You can claim compensation after you move out as long as you:

• have evidence

• told the landlord about the problem before you moved out

Your can only claim for the time when you were a tenant.

Court costs

You might have to pay:

• your court costs

• for an expert opinion

• the landlord's expenses and court costs if you lose

The costs can depend on what court process you use.

The small claims court

The small claims process has lower court fees.

It also makes it easier to go to court on your own.

You do not usually have to pay your landlord’s costs if you lose.

You might get some of your fees and expenses back if you win.

If you want your landlord to carry out repairs

You can only use the small claims process if both:

• the repair work costs less than £1,000

• you're asking for less than £1,000 in compensation

If you only want compensation

You can claim up to £10,000 compensation under the small claims process.

Larger or more complex claims are different. Fees are higher and the process is more complicated. You probably need a solicitor.