Can I Claim for Mice, Rats, or Pest Infestation in My Rented Home?

Introduction

Living with rats, mice, cockroaches, or other pests in your rented property isn’t just distressing—it’s a serious health and safety concern. Pest infestations are more than just a nuisance. They can cause disease, damage property, and make your home uninhabitable. If your landlord has failed to act after being notified, you may be entitled to make a housing disrepair claim.

At Housing Disrepair Team, we’ve helped hundreds of tenants across the UK claim compensation for poor living conditions, including pest infestations. In this article, we explain your rights, your landlord’s responsibilities, and how our housing disrepair solicitors can help you take action.

Common Types of Pest Infestations

Pests are more than unpleasant—they can be dangerous to your health and damage your property. The most common infestations tenants report include:

• Mice and rats: Can chew wires, damage insulation, and spread diseases through droppings.

• Cockroaches: Thrive in damp or dirty environments and spread bacteria.

• Bed bugs: Cause painful bites, allergic reactions, and infest furniture.

• Fleas: Often linked to pets or poor cleanliness.

• Ants, silverfish, or wasps: Can signal poor maintenance or structural issues.

Landlord’s Responsibility for Pest Control

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords are required to:

• Keep the structure and exterior of the property in good repair.

• Ensure the property is fit for human habitation.

• Maintain safe living conditions, including addressing infestations caused by structural or maintenance issues.

If pests are entering your home through holes, gaps, broken drains, poor insulation, or water leaks, your landlord is legally responsible for fixing the issue. If they fail to do so after being notified, they may be liable, and you can start a housing disrepair compensation claim.

When Can You Make a Claim?

You may be able to make a housing disrepair claim if:

• You reported the infestation to your landlord.

• They failed to act or only provided a short-term solution.

• The infestation affected your health, caused stress, or damaged your belongings.

If you’ve experienced this, our housing disrepair experts can help you claim for both the disrepair and compensation.

Real-Life Example

A tenant in Birmingham complained of rats entering her kitchen through a broken air brick and damaged skirting. Despite reporting it multiple times, the housing association only sent pest control once and failed to seal entry points.

We helped her claim:

• £3,200 in housing disrepair compensation.

• Full repair works to stop the rats from returning.

• Reimbursement for damaged food and belongings.

What Can You Claim Compensation For?

With help from the best housing disrepair solicitors, you can claim for:

• Distress and inconvenience caused by pests.

• Damage to food, clothing, or furniture.

• Health problems (e.g. bites, allergic reactions, stress).

• Cleaning or pest control costs you paid for yourself.

• Time spent living in fear or discomfort.

The more severe and long-lasting the issue, the more you could be entitled to.

Evidence to Support Your Claim

To build a successful housing disrepair claim, collect the following:

• Photographs or videos of pests, droppings, nests, or damage.

• Screenshots of messages/emails where you reported the issue.

• Dates and details of when you informed your landlord.

• Pest control reports, invoices, or receipts.

• Medical records if the infestation affected your health.

At Housing Disrepair Team, we also arrange professional inspections to document the extent of the infestation and link it to disrepair.

Pest Infestations Caused by Disrepair

Many infestations are caused or worsened by disrepair, including:

• Broken floorboards or skirting boards.

• Gaps under doors or windows.

• Cracks in walls or brickwork.

• Water leaks, which attract pests.

• Poorly maintained bins or communal areas in flats.

If the infestation was caused by an issue that your landlord should have fixed, you have a strong case.

What If the Landlord Blames You?

Some landlords try to shift responsibility to tenants by claiming the infestation was due to uncleanliness or food waste. If this happens:

• Remain calm and document everything.

• Provide evidence of regular cleaning and hygiene.

• Let our housing disrepair solicitors manage communications on your behalf.

We’ve handled hundreds of similar cases and know how to defend your rights.

Time Limit to Claim

You typically have up to 6 years to claim for property damage or inconvenience. For health-related claims, the time limit is 3 years from the date you became aware of the problem’s effect.

Still, it's best to take action as soon as possible to protect your health and claim your compensation faster.

Why Choose Housing Disrepair Team?

As trusted housing disrepair experts, we’ve helped thousands of tenants in England and Wales fight for safer, healthier homes. With us, you get:

• No Win, No Fee support

• Free initial advice and expert assessment

• Complete claim management

• Regular updates and friendly service

• Experience with all types of disrepair, including pest-related cases

We are recognised among the best housing disrepair solicitors in the UK, and we work hard to get results.

Final Thoughts

No one should have to live with rats, mice, or cockroaches. If your landlord has ignored your complaints and allowed an infestation to continue, you may be entitled to a compensation claim for housing disrepair.

At Housing Disrepair Team, we help tenants stand up to bad landlords and live in dignity. Don’t wait for things to get worse—take control of your housing situation today.

Contact our team now to make a housing disrepair claim and get the compensation and repairs you deserve.