How Should I Report Housing Disrepair and What Evidence Should I Keep?
If a housing problem becomes a dispute, one of the hardest questions can be surprisingly simple:
If a housing problem becomes a dispute, one of the hardest questions can be surprisingly simple:
“When did you first tell the landlord?”
Months later, dates blur. Photographs disappear with an old phone. A contractor’s comment is remembered differently by everybody.
Good evidence is not about preparing for a court case from day one. It is about keeping an accurate record of what happened to your home and how the problem affected the people living there.
Make the first report specific
Say what is wrong, where it is and what effect it is having.
“Please fix the damp” is less useful than explaining that mould has returned across the external wall of a child’s bedroom, bedding feels damp and the room is becoming difficult to use.
Use the landlord’s reporting system where required, but keep your own copy or screenshot.
Create a simple timeline
Record:
when you first noticed the problem;
when and how you reported it;
repair-reference numbers;
inspections and contractor visits;
what work was promised;
what work was actually completed;
cancelled or missed appointments; and
whether the problem returned.
This timeline can later answer questions about notice, delay and failed repairs without relying on memory.
Photograph change over time
Take clear photographs and, where useful, short videos.
Wide photographs show where the defect is in the room. Closer photographs show detail. Repeat photographs can demonstrate deterioration or recurrence.
Do not alter images to make conditions look worse. Accurate evidence is more valuable than dramatic evidence.
Record the effect on the household
The official Housing Conditions Pre-Action Protocol expects a potential claim to describe the effect of defects on the tenant and family.
That can include rooms that cannot be used normally, disrupted sleep, children moving rooms, difficulty cooking or washing, damaged belongings and health concerns.
A diary does not need to become a daily essay. Short dated entries can capture significant changes.
Keep evidence of genuine financial loss
Save receipts, invoices or bank evidence for additional costs reasonably connected with the conditions.
Examples might include additional electricity, replacement possessions, cleaning, travel or temporary accommodation.
The Protocol contains a specific special-damages form because financial losses can be relevant. Whether a particular loss is legally recoverable is a separate question for individual assessment.
Health evidence needs care
If you seek healthcare because of symptoms, tell the clinician about the housing conditions if you believe they may be relevant.
Keep appointment dates and any information you are given.
Do not ask a clinician to say the property caused an illness if they cannot properly do so. A housing claim containing a personal-injury element may require medical evidence about causation.
Keep landlord documents too
Retain tenancy documents, inspection reports, complaint decisions, repair schedules and correspondence.
The Housing Conditions Protocol also anticipates disclosure of landlord records including the tenancy file, notice records, inspection documents and relevant computerised records.
You do not need to understand all of that before seeking advice; knowing the records exist can itself be useful.
Allow reasonable access
Evidence should show not only what the landlord did, but that reasonable opportunities to inspect and repair were available.
The Protocol expects tenants to allow reasonable access in accordance with the tenancy agreement, with reasonable notice except in emergencies.
If an appointment is unsuitable, respond and offer alternatives rather than simply refusing access.
Why this evidence matters
If serious conditions remain unresolved, a housing adviser or solicitor can use the chronology to assess responsibility, notice, the condition of the property, loss and possible remedies.
The objective is not to turn every repair into a claim.
It is to make sure that if your home has genuinely remained in poor condition, the history of what you experienced does not disappear.
Last reviewed
6 September 2026
Important informationThis guide provides general information only and does not constitute legal, medical or other professional advice. Housing rights and legal remedies depend on the type of tenancy, landlord, location, the condition of the property and individual circumstances. Check current official guidance and consider advice from an appropriately qualified housing adviser, healthcare professional or legal professional where needed.