To be honest, it’s rather similar to any claim against a supermarket or a shop. The building itself must be safe – i.e. floor surfaces must be even with no defects or tripping hazards, fixtures and fittings must be safe, ensuring nothing can fall off or break away whilst your using it, and the condition of the building itself must not pose a hazard to anyone.
Your landlord should regularly inspect and maintain the premises to ensure there are no potential hazards, and they should always act on any hazard being raised with them as a matter of urgency. If a resident reports that a drain is blocked and water is accumulating in a communal walkway and causing a potential slip hazard, they should get out immediately and either repair or make safe the area, cordon it off if required, or warn anyone using the walkway with appropriate signage.
If any fixture or fitting, say a chair, stair hand rail, or carpet were to become lose or defective and cause an injury, you can claim for compensation from your landlord if they have either failed to inspect and maintain the premises accordingly, or if they have failed to action an issue you have raised with them that is related to the defect. Your landlord should always have an insurance policy in place to cover any claims against them; if they don’t, you can pursue the landlord directly.
They say that the majority of accidents happen in the home – if you have suffered an injury as a direct result of your landlords negligence, you are entitled to make a claim for compensation from any insurance they have (and should) have in place.
If you ever have to report a defect or a problem to your landlord, you should always ensure it is properly recorded. Make sure to follow through on any report you make and ensure your landlord is doing something about it; particularly if it poses a potential hazard.
For more information about making a claim against your landlord, feel free to get in touch for a no obligation chat about the options that are open to you.