Commentary

News, guides & insights

Practical writing on defensible reports, consistent standards and life inside a disrepair-focused surveying practice.

surveyor taking a damp reading with legal papers stacked around him

Damp and Mould Claims: Why “Tenant Lifestyle” Is No Longer a Defence

For years, one phrase has sat at the centre of housing disrepair disputes: “It’s due to tenant lifestyle.” That position is no longer tenable. Following the Housing Ombudsman’s Spotlight Report on Damp and Mould – “It’s Not Lifestyle”, there has been a clear and deliberate shift in how these issues must be understood, assessed, and resolved. For claimants, solicitors, and landlords alike, the implications are significant.

Expert Authority

Independence in Expert Witness Evidence: Why It Matters

An expert witness may possess decades of surveying experience, extensive knowledge of building pathology and a detailed understanding of housing disrepair. Yet if their independence is compromised, or even perceived to be compromised, the weight attached to their evidence may be significantly reduced.

Guides

What Is a Housing Disrepair Survey — and Why It Can Make or Break Your Case

Housing disrepair claims are built on evidence. Not assumptions. Not outdated narratives. And certainly not simplistic explanations that place responsibility in the wrong place.