You need a kitchen where food can be stored, prepared and cooked safely. When units collapse, worktops swell and split, or the sink leaks into the cupboards, that becomes impossible.
Kitchen claims are often linked to other defects. A leak rots the units, damp brings mould, and gaps behind damaged units let mice in. A good claim deals with the cause as well as the damage.
Signs your landlord should be dealing with
- Cupboard doors and drawers hanging off or units pulling away from the wall
- Worktops that are swollen, split or cannot be cleaned
- A leaking sink, taps or waste pipe
- No working cooker point, or a landlord's cooker that is unsafe
- Mould, rot or pest entry points behind and beneath units
Why it happens and who is responsible
Most kitchen damage starts with water: leaking wastes and supply pipes swell chipboard units and worktops. Age, poor fitting and damp do the rest.
The kitchen sink, its taps and pipes, and gas and electricity supplies to the kitchen fall within section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Units and worktops supplied by the landlord must be kept in a usable condition under the tenancy agreement, and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 lists facilities for preparing and cooking food among the things that decide whether a home is fit to live in. Appliances the landlord provides must be safe. Appliances you bought yourself are your responsibility.
How it affects you
An unusable kitchen means relying on takeaways and ready meals, at real cost. Damaged surfaces that cannot be cleaned are a hygiene risk, and leaks under units cause hidden rot and mould.
Evidence that helps your claim
- Photos of damaged units, worktops and leaks, inside the cupboards as well
- Reports to the landlord and their replies
- Receipts for takeaway food or other extra costs
- Photos of mould or pest signs behind units
- Details of any promised kitchen replacement and when
You can send photos and documents to us through the secure evidence upload page.
What you can claim
A successful claim for damaged kitchens usually has two parts. First, an agreement or court order that the landlord carries out the repairs by a fixed date. Second, compensation for the period you lived with the problem after the landlord knew about it, worked out as a share of your rent, plus the cost of damaged belongings and any extra expenses. If your health has suffered, that is assessed separately. Our compensation calculator gives an illustration.
What to do next
- Report it in writing to your landlord if you have not already, and keep a copy.
- Keep recording the problem with dated photos.
- Use the complaints process if you rent from Haringey Council or a housing association. You do not have to finish it before getting legal advice.
- Ask us for a free assessment. If you have a claim, it can be run on a no win no fee basis.
Not sure whether you have a claim? It takes two minutes to find out and costs nothing.
Questions tenants ask
Does my landlord have to replace the whole kitchen?
Only if repair is not practical. The duty is to put the kitchen back into proper working order. Where units are rotten throughout, replacement may be the only realistic repair, and a surveyor can say so.
Who is responsible for the cooker and fridge?
If the landlord supplied them, the landlord must keep them safe and working. If you brought your own, they are yours to maintain, though the landlord is responsible for the gas or electricity supply to them.
Can I claim for the cost of eating out while the kitchen was unusable?
Reasonable extra costs caused by the landlord's failure to repair can be claimed. Keep receipts and a note of the dates.
