Whether it be over rent, repairs or any number of other grievances, renters and landlords are often on a collision course over complaints.
In recent years, the power balance has been tipped in the favour of the landlord. The threat of a ‘no-fault’ eviction – where a landlord can evict a tenant without giving a reason – meant a tenant could face a so-called revenge eviction for speaking out.
New reforms, announced at the Queen’s Speech, are set to change this. ‘No-fault’ evictions – also known as section 21 evictions – are set to be scrapped along with a number of reforms under the Renters’ Reform Bill.
Similarly, the Social Housing Regulation Bill is designed to improve standards for tenants in social housing and give regulators more power to deal with complaints.
But while the legislation is making its way through parliament, here are five things you can do to complain against your landlord.
Check if your landlord is legit
If you’re having problems with your landlord, it’s worth checking if they have everything in order. In Scotland – and possibly in England in the future – there is a landlord register where tenants can look up who manages their property.