Council & Housing Association TenantsDamaged & Leaking Roof Compensation Claims
Water coming through the ceiling every time it rains and your landlord still has not fixed the roof? You may be able to claim compensation and force the repair. We help council and housing association tenants in England and Wales. Check where you stand in 60 seconds.
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Signs Of A Roof Problem
The roof is the clearest example of something that is entirely your landlord's responsibility. It is part of the structure and exterior of the building, and no tenancy agreement can pass that duty on to you.
A roof problem rarely stays a roof problem. Water gets into the loft, then the ceilings, then the walls, and damp and mould follow. The longer it is left, the more of your home it takes.
Signs To Look For In Your Home:
Water dripping through the ceiling when it rains
Brown water stains spreading across a ceiling
Missing, slipped or cracked roof tiles
A sagging or bulging ceiling holding water
Damp, mould or a musty smell in upstairs rooms
Daylight visible through the loft roof
Blocked, broken or overflowing guttering
A flat roof that pools water or has split felt
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Is Your Landlord Responsible For The Roof?
Yes, in essentially every case. Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 puts the structure and exterior of your home on your landlord, and the roof is the clearest part of that. Cost is not a defence, and neither is the age of the building.
Councils and housing associations often patch a roof rather than replace it. If the same leak keeps returning after repeated visits, the repair has not been done properly and the clock has not reset.
Your Landlord Is Responsible For:
The roof covering, tiles, felt and flashing
Guttering, downpipes, fascias and soffits
Chimneys, and the flashing around them
The roof over a communal area or block of flats
Repairing ceilings and walls the leak has damaged
Treating damp and mould the leak has caused
Making it safe as an emergency if a ceiling is at risk
Can I Claim For A Leaking Roof?
You May Have A Claim If:
You rent from a council or housing association
Your home is in England or Wales
You reported the roof problem and it was not fixed
It damaged your home, your belongings or your health
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Who Can Make A Roof Disrepair Claim?
We act for council and housing association tenants in England and Wales. If you rent from a private landlord or letting agent, or your home is in Scotland, we are not able to take your claim. Your council's environmental health team and Shelter can both advise you instead.
If a ceiling is sagging or bulging with water, treat it as an emergency and keep everyone out of that room. Ceilings collapse, and they usually collapse without warning.
The one thing to know
The roof is your landlord's job and nobody else's. It is part of the structure of the building, so it cannot be signed over to you in a tenancy agreement, and the age of the property or a tight repairs budget is not a reason to leave you taking water in.
How Much Compensation For A Leaking Roof?
There is no fixed payout. Compensation for roof disrepair is usually made up of two parts.
General damages
This covers the loss of enjoyment of your home while the roof went unrepaired. Courts often work it out as a proportion of the rent you paid during that period. A bedroom you could not sleep in, or a room you had to empty out, pushes the proportion higher.
Special damages
This covers what the leak actually cost you. Ruined carpets, furniture, beds, clothing and electricals, plus higher heating bills from trying to dry the place out. Photograph everything before you throw it away and keep the receipts.
If damp or mould has grown as a result of the roof leak and affected someone's health, a personal injury element may also be considered.
Every month the roof stays unrepaired is another month of full rent for a home you cannot fully use.
What affects the amount
- How long the roof went unrepaired
- How many rooms the water reached
- Whether a ceiling came down or was at risk
- Whether damp and mould followed
- The value of belongings you lost
- How many times it was patched and came back
- Whether you reported it and were ignored
We cannot tell you what your claim is worth until we have seen your evidence. Every case is different.
Your Landlord's Legal Responsibilities
The roof is one of the least arguable repairs in housing law. These are the duties that matter.
Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
Your landlord must keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair. The roof, guttering, downpipes, chimneys and flashing are all squarely within that. This duty cannot be signed away in a tenancy agreement, and your landlord cannot charge you for the work.
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
Your home must be fit to live in for the whole of your tenancy. A property taking water through the roof, with the damp that follows, can be legally unfit, and you can take your landlord to court directly under this Act.
Fit to live in is not a high standard, but a home the rain gets into does not meet it. If water is coming through your ceiling and damp is spreading behind it, the property may count as unfit, and you can take your landlord to court about that yourself rather than waiting for someone else to step in.
Housing Health and Safety Rating System
Water penetration, excess damp and structural collapse are all recognised hazards under the Housing Act 2004. Your council's environmental health team can inspect and require the repair.
Awaab's Law
Since 27 October 2025, social landlords in England must investigate a reported significant damp and mould hazard within 10 working days and complete safety work within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. Roof leaks are one of the most common causes of that damp, so if your landlord has missed these deadlines, that failure can support your claim.
How long should a roof repair take?
There is no fixed deadline for the full repair, but making the property safe and watertight should not wait. A ceiling at risk of collapse, or water pouring in, is an emergency and most landlords hold themselves to a 24 hour target for that. Scaffolding and weather can genuinely delay a full roof job, but that is not a reason to leave you taking water in the meantime.
What to do if your landlord will not fix the roof
Awaab's Law deadlines
24 hours
A roof that has become dangerous is an emergency hazard and must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours.
10 working days
If the roof has let water in and caused significant damp and mould, that already falls under Awaab's Law.
30 Nov 2026
Structural collapse comes under Awaab's Law from 30 November 2026.
- Report it in writing by email, letter or the tenant portal, and keep a copy
- Photograph the ceiling, the stains and the outside roof if you can see it
- Take a short video during heavy rain showing where the water comes in
- Keep a diary of every visit, and note each time the same leak returned
- Keep receipts for anything the water ruined
- Make a formal complaint through your landlord's complaints procedure
- Escalate to the Housing Ombudsman once that complaints process is exhausted
- Get free legal advice about a housing disrepair claim
How To Make A Roof Disrepair Claim
From your first enquiry to getting repairs done and compensation paid, here's what to expect.
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1
Complete Our Form
Fill in your details so we can confirm eligibility and understand your situation.
2
Share Your Evidence
Send us photos, videos, and any messages you've sent to your landlord about the issues.
3
Letter of Claim
Your solicitor sends a formal claim to your landlord, starting the legal process.
4
Property Inspection
An independent surveyor inspects the property to assess and document the disrepair.
5
Repairs & Compensation
Your landlord arranges the necessary repairs and you receive any compensation you are owed.
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No Win No Fee Roof Disrepair Solicitors
We believe everyone deserves a safe home. That's why we offer a No Win, No Fee service, so you can start your claim with nothing to pay upfront.
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Council and housing association tenants
No Win No Fee (CFA). A success fee may apply if your claim succeeds. Available to council and housing association tenants in England and Wales.
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Start Your Claim
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Leaking Roof Claims: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 your landlord must keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair, and the roof, guttering, downpipes and chimneys are all part of that. They cannot pass this duty on to you in the tenancy agreement, and they cannot charge you for the work.