Signs you may have a bathroom problems claim
- Bath, shower or basin leaking into the room or the flat below
- Cracked, loose or missing tiles and sealant
- Extractor fan broken or never fitted
- Black mould on the ceiling and grout
- No hot water at the taps or shower
- Loose, cracked or unusable bath, basin or shower tray
Sanitary installations are named in the law
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 specifically lists baths, basins, sinks and sanitary conveniences, together with the pipes, waste traps and drains that serve them, as installations the landlord must keep in repair and proper working order. The hot water supply to the bathroom is covered too. A bathroom with no working extractor fan or window, where mould returns every few weeks, can also make a home unfit under the 2018 Act.
Typical bathroom disrepair
- Failed sealant or grout letting water behind the bath or into the floor, rotting joists and bringing down the ceiling below.
- Shower trays and bath panels that have cracked or come loose.
- Taps and showers with no hot water or very poor pressure.
- Toilets, basins or baths that are cracked, leaking or not fixed to the wall or floor.
- Extractor fans that are broken, disconnected or were never installed, so condensation and mould build up.
- Floors that are soft or sagging because of long-term leaks.
Why it matters
A bathroom is used by every member of the household every day. Leaks damage the home below as well as your own, mould affects breathing, and a loose bath or broken floor can cause injury. Families with babies, disabled or elderly members are hit hardest when the only bathroom cannot be used properly.
What you can claim
- Repair or replacement of the defective fittings, floor, tiling, sealant and extractor fan, and repair of water damage.
- Compensation as a percentage of rent for the period affected, higher where you could not use the bathroom at all.
- The cost of damaged belongings, flooring and decoration.
- Compensation for ill health linked to mould.
Evidence that helps
Photograph leaks, mould and loose fittings. Keep a note of how long the extractor fan has been broken and each time you reported it. Water stains on the ceiling below are powerful evidence; photograph them too.
Think you have a housing disrepair claim?
Tell us what is wrong with your home and we will check, free of charge, whether you can claim repairs and compensation on a no win, no fee basis.
Bathroom disrepair: your questions answered
The only toilet and bath are unusable. How urgent is that?
Loss of the only toilet or washing facilities is an emergency and should be made usable within 24 hours.
My landlord says the mould in the bathroom is normal. Is it?
Some condensation is normal; persistent black mould is not. Without an effective extractor fan or window the landlord has not provided adequate ventilation.
A leak from my bath damaged the flat below. Will I be blamed?
Not if the leak was caused by a defect you reported, such as failed sealant or pipework. Responsibility sits with the landlord who failed to repair it.
Can I claim for an adapted bathroom that was never provided?
Adaptations are dealt with under different law, but if existing fittings are broken or unsafe you can still claim disrepair.