Pest & Infestation Claims
Mice, rats, cockroaches or bed bugs caused by disrepair your landlord won't deal with.
An infestation in a rented home is distressing, and it's often the result of disrepair — gaps in the brickwork, broken drains, holes a landlord never sealed. Where the infestation is down to the state of the property and your landlord has failed to act, you may be able to claim for getting it dealt with properly and for the impact it's had on your home and your peace of mind.
Reviewed by Sannah Khatoon, Litigation & Housing Disrepair Solicitor · SRA #654258 · Admitted 2018
A landlord isn't automatically responsible for every pest, but they usually are where the infestation is caused by disrepair they're obliged to fix — gaps in the structure, defective brickwork or broken drains that let rodents in. Those elements fall under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, which requires the landlord to keep the structure, exterior and drainage in repair.
A serious infestation can also make a home unfit to live in under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, and pests are a recognised hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, which councils use to assess conditions. Separately, a persistent infestation may amount to a 'statutory nuisance' under section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which gives tenants a route to ask the Magistrates' Court to order the landlord to deal with it.
The key is establishing the cause. Following the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims (England), an independent inspection links the infestation to the disrepair — a broken airbrick, an unsealed pipe run, a cracked drain — so the landlord can be required to carry out both the pest treatment and the underlying repair, not just a one-off spray that fails.
Compensation reflects the seriousness and length of the infestation and its effect on your home and health, assessed on the facts — so no fixed figures are given here. A regulated solicitor will review your evidence and advise honestly on whether the cause points back to the landlord's disrepair.
How we can help
- Mice, rats and other rodents
- Cockroaches, bed bugs and recurring infestations
- Infestations caused by structural disrepair or broken drains
- Treatment, repairs and compensation
These claims are run on a no-win, no-fee basis by SRA-regulated solicitors, so in suitable cases it costs you nothing up front to find out where you stand. Start your claim using the form and a regulated solicitor will review your situation. We connect you with a regulated firm — we are not a firm of solicitors ourselves.
Frequently asked questions
Is my landlord responsible for a pest infestation?
Often, where the infestation is caused by disrepair the landlord must fix — gaps in the structure, defective brickwork or broken drains that let pests in. Those come under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. If the cause is unconnected to the property's condition the position can differ, which is why establishing the cause through inspection matters.
Can an infestation make my home legally unfit?
Yes, potentially. A serious infestation can render a home unfit under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, and pests are a recognised hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. A persistent infestation may also be a statutory nuisance under section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
What is a statutory nuisance and how does it help?
Under section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, a tenant can ask the Magistrates' Court to order a landlord to deal with conditions that amount to a 'statutory nuisance', which can include a serious infestation. It's a separate route from a disrepair claim, and a solicitor can advise which fits your situation best.
How long do I have to make a pest claim?
The Limitation Act 1980 generally allows up to six years for the disrepair and three years for any personal injury or ill health caused. Because proving the cause depends on evidence gathered while the problem is live, early advice is sensible.
Can I be evicted for reporting an infestation?
Evicting a tenant for complaining about conditions is retaliatory eviction, restricted by section 33 of the Deregulation Act 2015. A regulated solicitor can explain the protection that applies to your tenancy before you take any action.
Do pest claims run on no win, no fee?
In suitable cases, yes. They're usually funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement, often with After the Event insurance covering the other side's costs if the claim fails, so there's typically nothing to pay up front and nothing to pay if you lose. Your solicitor will confirm the funding in writing first.
Sources & further reading
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, s.11 (repairing obligations) — legislation.gov.uk ↗
- Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.82 (statutory nuisance) — legislation.gov.uk ↗
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 — legislation.gov.uk ↗
- Repairs if you're a private tenant — GOV.UK ↗
This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Every housing-disrepair case turns on its own facts — speak to a solicitor about your situation. UK Housing Disrepair Solicitors is a connector service: we put tenants in touch with SRA-regulated solicitors, and we are not a firm of solicitors ourselves.