Windows and external doors keep your home warm, dry and secure. They are part of the structure and exterior of the building, so repairing them falls to the landlord.
Rotten timber sash windows in Victorian terraces and failing metal or uPVC units on estates are both common across Haringey. Tenants are often told replacement is "on a programme" years away. That is not an answer to a repair that is needed now.
Signs your landlord should be dealing with
- Rotten or crumbling timber frames and sills
- Windows that will not open, close or lock
- Cracked or loose panes and blown double glazing
- Rain coming in around frames
- External doors that are warped, insecure or cannot be locked
Why it happens and who is responsible
Timber rots where paint and putty have failed. Hinges, handles and locking mechanisms wear out. Seals perish, and frames distort when the building moves.
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 covers window frames, sashes, glazing that fails through disrepair, external doors and their frames. The landlord must repair them within a reasonable time of being told, and where a window is beyond repair that means replacing it. A front door that cannot be locked, or an upper-floor window that cannot be secured where children live, should be treated as urgent. Flat entrance doors may also be fire doors, which must close properly.
How it affects you
Defective windows and doors cause draughts, heat loss, high bills, condensation and mould. Insecure ones leave you exposed to burglary. Windows that cannot be opened remove ventilation and may block an escape route in a fire.
Evidence that helps your claim
- Photos of rot, gaps, broken fittings and water staining
- Video showing a window or door that will not close or lock
- Repair reports and the landlord's replies
- Heating bills, if draughts have increased your costs
- A crime reference number, if there has been a break-in
You can send photos and documents to us through the secure evidence upload page.
What you can claim
A successful claim for faulty windows and doors 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
The council says my windows will be replaced in a future programme. Do I have to wait?
No. Planned programmes do not remove the duty to repair. If the windows are in disrepair now, the landlord must make them weathertight, secure and working within a reasonable time.
Is single glazing disrepair?
Not by itself. A landlord does not have to upgrade sound single glazing to double glazing. But if the windows are rotten or broken, or the home is so cold or damp that it is unfit to live in, you may have a claim.
I broke the window myself. Is that covered?
Damage caused by you, your household or your visitors is generally your responsibility. A claim covers disrepair that arises through age, wear or the landlord's neglect.
