Rotting Windows and Doors Compensation Claims
Curtains that move in the draught, black mould creeping round the frames, a front door you have to shoulder shut. Rotten windows and doors leave your home cold, damp and insecure, and push your heating bills up too. If your landlord won't carry out a proper repair, we'll make sure they do.
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When do rotten windows and doors become a claim?
Windows and external doors are part of the structure and exterior of your home, and your landlord must keep them in repair. Rotten timber frames, cracked panes, broken hinges and locks, failed double-glazing seals, and gaps that let in draughts and rainwater all count as disrepair.
The knock-on effects are what make these claims matter: heat escaping through draughty frames, rainwater causing damp and mould, and a front door that won't lock properly leaving your home insecure. None of that is yours to live with once you've reported it.
Evidence that strengthens your claim
No photos? Nothing in writing? We can still help. But anything you can dig out now makes your claim stronger:
- Photos and videos of the problem, however rough
- Anything you've sent your landlord: emails, letters, texts
- GP or hospital records, if your health suffered
- Receipts or photos of ruined belongings
Your landlord's legal responsibility
Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, windows and external doors form part of the structure and exterior your landlord is legally required to maintain. A home that can't be kept warm or secure because of them may also fall short of the standard set by the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.
A proper repair means dealing with the rot or the failed unit itself: cutting out decayed timber, or replacing the frame or sealed unit where needed. Painting over the problem doesn't count. If your landlord hasn't done the job properly within a reasonable time of you reporting it, you're likely to have a claim.
What a successful claim gets you
Compensation
A payment for what you've had to live with, usually worked out as a percentage of your rent, plus money back for ruined belongings: clothes, furniture, carpets and more.
The repairs, completed
A binding commitment that forces your landlord to fix the problem properly. No more promises, no more missed appointments.
Rotting Windows and Doors Compensation Claims: FAQs
My window won't close properly. Is that disrepair?
Yes. A window that can't be shut securely is both a security risk and a constant source of heat loss and draughts. It's a clear repair your landlord is obliged to carry out, and if it's been left after you reported it, it can form part of a claim.
My landlord just painted over the rotten wood. Is that enough?
No. Paint hides rot; it doesn't fix it. The decay continues underneath, and the frame keeps letting in water and draughts. A proper repair means cutting out and replacing the decayed timber, or replacing the frame entirely if it's too far gone.
Can I claim for higher heating bills?
Yes. If draughty, defective windows and doors have pushed your energy bills up, that extra cost can be calculated and included in your compensation, alongside the general award for living in a cold home, which is usually a percentage of your rent. Our free calculator gives you an instant estimate.
My double glazing is misted up between the panes. Can I claim?
Yes. Misting between the panes means the sealed unit has failed and lost its insulating properties. Your landlord is responsible for repairing or replacing the failed unit. It's a repair issue, not just cosmetic wear.
My front door lock is broken. How urgent is that?
Very. A broken lock on an external door leaves your home and belongings unsecured, and it should be treated as an emergency and fixed within about 24 hours of being reported. A landlord who leaves you unable to lock your own front door is seriously in breach of their duty.
See how much you could claim
Answer a few quick questions about your rent, the problems and how long you've lived with them, and you'll get an instant estimate. Confidential, no obligation, no pressure.