York tenants could be charged £10,000 if they fail to report repairs to the council directly

The advice follows a rise in legal claims by ‘claims farmers’ and ‘no win, no fee’ solicitors on behalf of housing tenants. Some of these disrepair claims have failed and resulted in tenants being charged thousands of pounds.

A recent ‘no win, no fee’ case against the council by a tenant was unsuccessful and left the tenant being charged by the judge to pay court costs of £10,409.72.

‘No win, no fee’ legal firms have been targeting tenants to make claims against the council, and ‘claims farm’ workers have been reported to be going door to door in York. Tenants are urged to always talk to the council first about any repairs required, any delays with repairs or any dissatisfaction with repairs.

‘Claims farmers’ convince people to make compensation claims against their landlord. They then sell this information onto legal firms for personal gain. Some suggest they are working for the council, but they are not.

If you are approached by people touting for this work, York City Council is urging tenants to:

Talk to the council first

Call the police if they feel scared or threatened

Always ask to see identification and check it

Tell Trading Standards on 0808 223 1133 if these workers at the doorstep claim to be from the council

Executive member for housing, planning and safer communities, Coun Michael Pavlovic, said: “Providing decent affordable homes is a priority. We are carrying out a significant housing repair programme to upgrade and modernise homes, while also installing energy efficiency measures to make them more affordable to run. We are committed to supporting council tenants and making good any repairs for which we are responsible.

“The recent and rising number of claims against the council have seen everyone lose out - except for the claims farmers. It has left tenants liable to court costs, and the time and money spent by the council to defend these claims could be better spent on investing in homes.

“Our message is simple: if you are a council tenant and feel your home needs a repair or if you have a problem with a repair, please contact us first on telephone: 01904 551550 (option 4, option 1). Our team will ensure you get the right support you need.”