Renting, as any tenant will tell you, is hell. It’s rare that you’ll find a renter who has never a) lived in a room ridden with damp, b) had £200 knocked off their deposit for a speck of grease left in the back of the oven, or c) had their landlord enter their home unannounced. Or, if you’re really unlucky, d) all of the above.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to come across a landlord who isn’t dodgy – or even downright criminal. But, as much as your landlord might act otherwise, tenants do have rights enshrined in law. And if your landlord has done any (or all) of the above, it’s possible that you could take them to court – and win.
In recent years, many young renters have been standing up to exploitative slumlords. Back in 2019, ‘the Leeds Five’ took their landlord to court after a visit from a housing officer revealed that their property was an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) – meaning their landlord was unlawfully renting the property to them. They won £15,00 of their rent back.
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