Structural defect claims against your landlord
Cracked walls, sagging ceilings, rotten floors and crumbling brickwork are not cosmetic problems — they go to whether your home is safe. If you reported structural defects and your landlord failed to act, we can claim compensation and force the repairs — on a no win, no fee basis.
Yes. The structure and exterior of your home are at the very core of your landlord’s repairing duty under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 — walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, foundations, windows and doors. If you reported cracks, collapse, rot or other structural defects and your landlord failed to repair them within a reasonable time, you can claim compensation and a court order requiring the works. Where a defect makes part of your home unsafe, the case is treated with urgency.
What counts as a structural defect
The structure and exterior of your home sit at the heart of your landlord’s repairing duty under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Defects we regularly claim for include:
- Cracked or bulging walls — internal and external cracking, from movement, subsidence or long-neglected decay
- Unsafe or collapsed ceilings — sagging, bowing, water-weakened or partially collapsed ceilings, including the aftermath of leaks
- Rotten or unsafe floors — collapsed or springy floorboards, rotten joists, holes and uneven surfaces causing trip hazards
- Defective roofs and chimneys — failed roof structures, loose or falling tiles, unstable chimney stacks
- Crumbling brickwork and render — spalled bricks, failed pointing and render letting water into the fabric of the building
- Rotten windows, doors and frames — frames so decayed they no longer keep out weather or close securely
- Unsafe stairs, banisters and balconies — loose handrails, broken treads and failing balcony structures
Why structural defects are treated seriously
Structural problems differ from other disrepair in one crucial way: they can hurt someone. A ceiling that comes down, a floor that gives way or a handrail that fails is a safety risk, not just an inconvenience — and both landlords and courts are expected to treat them accordingly.
Structural defects also tend to:
Where a defect poses a real risk of injury, the claim can include an application for an urgent injunction requiring immediate works — the court does not expect tenants to live under an unsafe ceiling while a claim takes its course.
“Landlords often assume tenants won’t push back. Our job is to make sure they do — and that the repairs actually get done, not just promised.”
Stephen Lund · Director
Unfit for human habitation
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires your home to be fit to live in throughout the tenancy — and stability, repair and freedom from serious hazards are core parts of that test. A home with significant structural defects can be unfit for human habitation even where each individual defect might look survivable on its own: the court looks at the condition of the home as a whole.
For tenants this adds a second, broader basis of claim alongside section 11 — particularly useful where the structural decay is widespread rather than confined to one repairable defect.
What you can recover
A successful structural defect claim can secure:
An order requiring your landlord to carry out the structural repairs within a set timescale — urgently, where safety demands it.
Damages for the distress, disruption and loss of enjoyment — including rooms you could not safely use.
The cost of possessions damaged by falling plaster, collapse, or the leaks and damp that structural failure lets in.
Where a defect has caused injury, or the conditions have affected your or your family’s health.
How the claim works
Structural claims follow the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims, and expert evidence carries particular weight: an independent surveyor inspects the defects and reports on their cause, severity and the works required. Dated photos of cracks and damage help establish how long the deterioration has run — our evidence guide explains what to record. For the wider picture of your rights, see our main housing disrepair guide.
Structural defect FAQs
Part of my ceiling has come down. What should I do?
Keep everyone out of the room, report it to your landlord immediately (in writing if you can), and photograph everything, the collapse, the debris, and any damage to belongings. A collapsed or partially collapsed ceiling needs an emergency response from your landlord, and if they fail to act we can seek an urgent injunction as well as compensation.
Are cracks in the walls actually a claim, or just cosmetic?
It depends on the crack. Hairline cracking in plaster can be cosmetic; cracking that is widening, lets in draughts or water, runs through brickwork, or comes with sticking doors and uneven floors can indicate movement or structural failure. An independent surveyor’s inspection, arranged as part of the claim, identifies the cause and severity. If in doubt, photograph the cracks against a coin or ruler for scale and ask us.
We've stopped using one of the bedrooms because it isn't safe. Does that matter?
Yes, it matters a great deal. Losing the use of part of your home is central to how compensation is assessed: you are paying full rent for a home you cannot fully live in. Keep a note of when you stopped using the room and why, and mention it when you contact us.
My landlord says the building is old and the defects are "normal". Is that a defence?
No. The age and character of the building are taken into account, but they do not remove the duty to keep the structure in repair. An old home can be a well-maintained one, decay that has been left to advance because the landlord chose not to spend money on it is exactly what these claims address.
How much does it cost to claim?
We act on a no win, no fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement. If your claim is unsuccessful, you do not pay our fees. The full details of how no win, no fee works, including the insurance arrangements that protect you, are set out on our costs and funding page.
Don’t live with an unsafe home — find out if you can claim
Tell us about the defects and what your landlord has (or hasn’t) done. We’ll review it free of charge and tell you honestly whether you have a claim.
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