Tripped on Dangerous Carpet at Home? Get Free Legal Advice

Mr D's daughter got in touch with our firm, and asked us; is the landlord to blame for loose carpeting causing an accident? We advised her that her father had strong grounds for suing the property owner / landlord, on the basis that they were responsible for having installed the carpet, and hence for the accident and injuries that the loose carpet tile had caused.

Landlords have a legal duty to provide accommodation that is reasonably safe for tenants to live in, and in this case it was clear that the problem with the carpet tile pre-dated Mr D moving into the property. Furthermore, Mr D's daughter had expressed her concerns about the state of the carpet to the landlord's agent, yet on action had been taken to repair the defect. We were able to win an admission of liability from the landlord's insurers relatively quickly in this instance, and Mr D received £2,750 in compensation for tripping on the loose carpet tile, as well as an additional sum to cover the cost of the medical care he required while recuperating.

Damaged carpeting and carpet tiles can pose a safety hazard for all occupants of a rented property, particularly for elderly tenants and those with mobility issues. Badly worn and ripped carpeting can cause tenants to trip and fall, while exposed carpet tacks may cut and pierce feet. If carpet tiles come loose, the floor surface may be uneven, creating a tripping hazard. When carpeting presents a danger of this kind, the landlord will be obliged to replace it in a timely manner as soon as it is reported to them by the tenant.

Carpeting may also pose a health risk due to its sanitary condition, although such cases are rare and the landlord will not be responsible for replacing carpets that are dirty, tatty or threadbare, but which do not represent a safety hazard or health risk, unless the lease specifically says so. In extreme cases, damaged carpeting can make a property uninhabitable, and in that situation the tenant will need to contact their local authority and arrange an inspection, after which the landlord can be forced to deal with the disrepair and potentially compensate the tenant.

We have won a variety of cases for clients who have been injured at rented properties, ranging from a claim on behalf of a tenant who fell down poorly lit communal stairs, to a claim on behalf of a child who was injured by discarded building materials at a rented property.

Claiming with us is easy. Get a free no obligation initial consultation about your case, your rights, and our no win no fee agreement. All information can be taken over the phone. Medical treatment is local to you. We aim to keep the claims process short by keeping claims out of court. If your claim does need to go to court it is unlikely that you will need to attend court, as cases settle before the final hearing.

Compensation will pay for private healthcare treatment. It will also cover:

Physiotherapy

Psychological therapy

Expenses (such as the cost of travel to hospital appointments)

Loss of income

Household adaptations

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.