Injured by Floorboards at Home? Get Free Legal Advice
Suing a Landlord for Falling Through Floor at Rented Property
If you have been injured due to a damaged, loose or rotten floorboard at a rented property, it will often be possible to claim compensation from your landlord or housing association. It is a common example of housing disrepair for which a landlord can be held responsible.
When a floorboard gives way or 'see-saws' due to disrepair, a person's foot will normally go straight down through the floor, potentially causing tendon, ligament and muscle damage to the foot, ankle, leg or lower back, as well as cuts and broken bones. We have recently claimed compensation for a tenant's broken foot after falling through an unsafe floor. Floorboards may be weak and hazardous for various reasons, particularly due to damp or dry rot, but sometimes because of improper installation, poor quality of manufacture, and general wear and tear. In extreme cases whole sections of ceilings and floors may collapse, as was the case in 2013, when an estate agent and prospective buyer fell 14ft through a floor while viewing a council-owned property in Nottingham.
- Can I Sue a Landlord for Damp and Rotten Floorboards?
- Landlords’ Responsibility for Safety of Floorboards and Tiling
- What Can I do About Dangerous Floorboards at a Rented Property?
- No Win No Fee Service for Accidents Caused by Unsafe Floorboards
- Our Experience With Accidents at Home
- The Claims Process
- Your Compensation
The safety of floor tiling at rented properties is another issue landlords must attend to. Poor fitting may result in tiles cracking which can cause accidents, for example, in bathrooms. Landlords are not responsible for squeaky and creaking floorboards unless the tenancy agreement specifically says so. This is a regular problem with older properties, but is not considered to be a disrepair or safety issue that the landlord must deal with.
It is important for tenants to take photographs of rotten, warped or cracked flooring and tiling, as this will provide evidence of the disrepair issue. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords are obliged to provide safe accommodation for tenants and must address reported safety issues, including damaged floorboards, in a timely manner. If they fail to do so and a tenant is injured due to their inaction, they will be in breach of their legal obligations and liable to pay compensation to the injured tenant.
If a tenant is concerned about the safety of floorboards at a rented property therefore, the first step is to request an inspection from the local council. If an environmental health officer judges a property to be dangerous, the council will then be able to take action to force the landlord to make the necessary repairs. If the local council does not take action for whatever reason, a tenant will still be able to make a personal injury compensation claim against their landlord if they are injured because of a damaged, loose or rotten floorboard.
The amount of compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your injuries and the likelihood that you’ll make a full recovery. We’ll seek expert opinions on what care you’ll need to ensure that the compensation we claim will be sufficient.
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Every year we help over a thousand injured people make claims for compensation on a no win no fee basis. Many are tenants claiming against their landlords.
We help tenants claim for personal injury, such as slips, falls and injuries caused by unsafe structures.
Our service is designed to be easy to use: meetings by phone & email, local medical appointments, sign documents online, or visit our city centre offices.
Our solicitors are very experienced having worked at the firm for an average of 18 years.
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Call now for your free consultation. We guarantee you a warm welcome and a lawyer with the expertise that you would expect from a leading housing law firm.
Accident Claims Caused by Disrepair We Have Won:
- Slips and Trips on Unsafe Steps
- Injuries From Defective Home Appliances
- Trips on Damaged or Loose Carpeting
- Injuries From Collapsing Ceilings
- Dangerous Fixtures and Furnishings
- Slipping Accidents at Rented Properties
- Accidents in Communal Areas
Accident and Disrepair Topics:
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