Evidence a housing disrepair claim service will need
Evidence a housing disrepair claim service will need
When damp patches keep coming back, mould spreads behind furniture, or a leak reappears every time it rains, the hardest part is often proving just how long the problem has been going on — and how much it has affected daily life.
That is where evidence matters. A housing disrepair claim service is not looking for “perfect” paperwork. It is looking for a clear, credible timeline that shows: (1) what the defects are, (2) when they were reported, (3) what the landlord did (or didn’t) do, and (4) the impact on the tenant and the home.
Claim First’s housing disrepair service is built around keeping things simple and taking the pressure off the tenant, from the paperwork through to liaising with the landlord. Tenants can learn more on the Housing Disrepair Claims.
Below is the evidence most housing disrepair claim services typically need and practical ways tenants can gather it without turning life into an admin job.
Proof the problem exists: photos and videos (dated if possible)
The most useful evidence is often the simplest: clear, well-lit photos and short videos.
A claim service will usually ask for images showing:
Damp staining and water marks (especially where they grow or spread)
Mould growth (walls, ceilings, behind wardrobes, around windows)
Peeling paint, bubbling plaster, warped skirting boards
Leaks or drips in real time (a 10–20 second video is ideal)
Damage caused by the disrepair (collapsed plaster, damaged flooring, rotten wood)
If possible, tenants should take:
Wide shots to show the whole room and location (e.g., “bedroom ceiling above the window”)
Close-ups to show texture and severity (e.g., black mould spots, crumbling plaster)
Repeat photos weekly for ongoing problems, to show persistence rather than a one-off patch
Claim First’s process emphasises sharing the basic details of the home issues up front, which is where this kind of evidence becomes immediately valuable.
Proof it was reported: emails, portal logs, and repair references
In housing disrepair, one of the most common sticking points is not whether damp or mould exists — it is whether the landlord knew about it and had enough time to act.
A claim service will typically ask for evidence such as:
Emails to the landlord or housing association
Screenshots from an online repairs portal (including status updates)
Repair reference numbers or job tickets
Text messages or letters chasing repairs
Notes of phone calls (date, time, who was spoken to, what was said)
If a tenant has only reported by phone, it still helps to:
write a quick follow-up email summarising the call, or
take a screenshot of the call log and note what was discussed
Even a simple paper trail can be powerful when it shows repeated reports with no lasting fix.
A timeline of events: when it started, what changed, and what got worse
A housing disrepair claim service will usually build a case around a timeline, because it answers the questions landlords often raise later:
When did the issue first appear?
When was it first reported?
What repairs were attempted?
Did the repair actually work — and if not, how quickly did the issue return?
Tenants can support this by creating a basic timeline (a notes app is fine) including:
Dates of first signs (e.g., “leak noticed in October”)
Dates the landlord was notified
Dates contractors attended (and what they did)
Dates the problem returned or worsened
Any periods where rooms became unusable
This does not need to be written like a report. A simple list of dates and short descriptions is often enough.
Evidence of impact: daily disruption, damaged items, and room usability
Compensation is usually linked not only to the defect, but also to the impact.
A claim service may ask for:
A brief “impact diary”
This can be 3–4 bullet points a week, covering things like:
Which rooms were affected
Whether anyone had to sleep elsewhere in the property
Whether the tenant had to run dehumidifiers constantly
Extra cleaning time (e.g., mould wiping every few days)
Smell, condensation, and damp air making a room unpleasant or unusable
Photos of damage to belongings
If mould or leaks have damaged items, photos help, especially if they show:
mould staining on clothing/shoes
damaged furniture backs (common with mould behind wardrobes)
soaked carpets or underlay
ruined curtains and blinds
Receipts (where available)
Receipts are helpful but not essential. Where tenants do have them, they can support replacement costs.
Claim First’s housing disrepair page sets the expectation that tenants may be able to claim compensation while also getting repairs enforced, which makes “impact evidence” particularly relevant.
Medical evidence (only when health has been affected)
Not every case needs medical records, and a claim service will not expect tenants to “prove” illness to be taken seriously. However, where damp and mould have clearly affected health, supporting evidence can strengthen the case.
A claim service might ask for:
A GP appointment summary or fit note (if applicable)
Prescription history (e.g., inhalers, antihistamines)
Hospital discharge letters (in serious cases)
Notes about symptoms worsening at home
The key is not dramatic detail — it is linking the timeline (damp/mould period) with the period of symptoms.
Inspection reports, contractor notes, and landlord responses
If the landlord has already sent contractors, there may be useful documents sitting in plain sight, such as:
“We attended and found…” contractor notes
Damp survey summaries (if one was carried out)
Emails acknowledging the problem
“Works completed” notices that don’t match reality
Photos taken by the landlord/contractor
Tenants should keep these even if they feel unhelpful. Sometimes a landlord’s own notes can confirm the defect existed and was known.
Tenancy details: proof of the tenancy and who lives there
A housing disrepair claim service will normally ask for basic tenancy information so it can match the evidence to the correct property and tenancy:
Tenancy agreement (if available)
Tenancy start date
Landlord/housing association name
Property address
Names of the occupiers (especially if children or vulnerable people are affected)
This is usually straightforward, but it helps prevent delays.
What if the tenant has very little evidence?
This is common — especially where reports were made by phone or where tenants have moved devices since the issue began.
A good service will still try to help build the case by:
advising what to photograph now
asking the landlord for repair logs and complaint history
using reference numbers, addresses, and dates to trace records
Claim First’s messaging across the site focuses on removing stress and handling the admin-heavy parts of the process for clients.
If you believe you have been treated unfairly, Claim First is here to help you take action with confidence. Whether you’re dealing with a mis sold car finance claim, seeking expert payday loan refund services, or need trusted housing disrepair services to challenge poor living conditions, their experienced team will guide you every step of the way. Claim First also offers dedicated scam recovery services, helping you recover funds lost to fraud quickly and professionally. Don’t let lenders, landlords, or scammers benefit from unfair practices — start your claim today and let Claim First fight for the compensation you deserve.
