Rats under the floorboards, mice in your council flat or cockroaches spreading through the block are not something you should have to live with. Housing Disrepair Solicitors handles pest infestation claims for council and housing association tenants in London, pushing landlords to repair the gaps, drains and damage that let pests in and claiming compensation for what you’ve been through. Eligible claims may be handled on a no win, no fee basis, subject to our assessment and the terms of the funding agreement.
You may be able to claim if pests are getting in or spreading because of disrepair your landlord hasn’t dealt with after being told.
One sighting that your landlord deals with straight away is unlikely to be enough. What matters is how long the infestation has gone on, whether it keeps returning and how it has affected your household.
Check If You Can ClaimIn most cases, yes, when the building itself is letting the pests in or the problem comes from areas your landlord controls.
Your landlord is usually responsible when pests get in through gaps, holes, broken air bricks, damaged drains or worn door seals, or when an infestation runs through the block, its communal areas, bin stores or roof spaces. It’s also likely to be responsible if the pests were there when you moved in, or if the infestation is serious enough to make your home unfit to live in.
You’re usually responsible for pests drawn in by food waste or rubbish inside your home, and for bed bugs or fleas brought in on furniture, luggage or pets, unless they’re spreading from elsewhere in the building. Your tenancy agreement may also make certain pests your responsibility.
Your tenancy agreement or your landlord’s pest control policy may give you more protection than the law alone, so it’s worth checking.
A pest claim isn’t only about getting the pests treated. It also covers the entry points that let them in and what the infestation has cost you.
A claim can push your landlord to treat the infestation and repair the gaps, drains or damaged structure letting the pests in, so they don’t return as soon as treatment stops.
You may be able to claim for the distress, discomfort and inconvenience of sharing your home with pests, including rooms or cupboards you couldn’t use properly.
Contaminated food, chewed belongings, ruined bedding and reasonable costs such as traps or deep cleaning can be claimed where you have evidence. If the infestation has affected anyone’s health, GP or hospital records can support that part of the claim.
The value of a pest claim turns on how long the infestation went on, how much of your home it reached and what it cost you to deal with.
Your landlord doesn’t have a general duty to remove every pest, but it must keep the building in repair and your home fit to live in.
Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord must keep the structure, exterior, drains and pipes in repair, so the gaps, holes and broken drains that let pests in are its responsibility to fix.
Under sections 9A–9C, added by the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, your home must also be fit to live in throughout your tenancy. Pests are one of the hazards taken into account, so a serious infestation can make a home unfit. Councils can also inspect and take action over pest hazards under the Housing Act 2004.
From 30 November 2026, Awaab’s Law extends to hygiene hazards, including pests, for council and housing association tenants in England. Where an infestation is a significant hazard, your landlord must:
Pest problems that pose an immediate risk to health are already covered as emergency hazards and must be dealt with within 24 hours.
In Wales: the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 sets similar repair and fitness duties, and Awaab’s Law does not apply.
Tell us what you’ve seen, when you reported it and what your landlord has done so far. We’ll let you know if you could have a claim and, if we can help, walk you through what happens next and what it could cost before you commit to anything.
Housing Disrepair Solicitors is a trading name of SLS Solicitors Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 813100).
