Homes in Sedgemoor legal case

A tenant was left out of pocket after a ‘no win, no fee’ solicitor persuaded them to sue Homes in Sedgemoor, which manages around 4,200 homes on behalf of Sedgemoor District Council.

The tenant – whose identity has not been made public – lost the case, leaving them out of pocket as a result of high legal fees.

Homes in Sedgemoor has warned residents against trusting “heavy-handed legal firms” who may pressurise people into making “unnecessary claims”.

The tenant in question alleged that Homes in Sedgemoor had “ignored areas of disrepair” within their property, and that as a result mould had grown inside.

The claimant had been convinced by her solicitor to take the matter to court, and she had cited a defective door, window seals, extractor fan and a leak in the bathroom as reasons for the mould.

However, the court ruled in Homes in Sedgemoor’s favour, finding the claimant’s evidence to be “unreliable”, that the mould was “caused by other factors”, and that Homes in Sedgemoor had “acted in a proper manner” throughout the proceedings.

This finding left the tenant not only out of pocket in light of high legal fees but also “distressed” at the entire situation.

Rik Saunders, property services manager at Homes in Sedgemoor, said: “We as a landlord have an obligation to make repairs to the structure and the exterior of a property within a reasonable time, and many of the defects that were complained about did not fall under that obligation.

“We acted as and when we were requested to do so, and the mould at the property was caused by other factors which were within the customer’s control to prevent.

“We’re increasingly becoming concerned about law firms targeting vulnerable residents who are enticed by the promise of a ‘no win, no fee’ outcome, but sadly often the claimant will have to shoulder hidden costs that they may not have been informed about.

“We would urge our customers to be cautious if they are approached by any of these firms.”