Nottingham Council Residents Have Been Living with “Rotting Windows…Damp and Mould”

Residents of the Clifton estate in Nottingham say they have been "neglected for so long" despite frequent complaints to the Council, which has recently put in a plan for remedial works. 

Social housing tenants on a Nottingham City Council estate have been “neglected” by their landlord, despite numerous complaints, leading to issues such as “rotting window frames, peeling render, damp, mould and poor insulation”. Now the Council, which was handed a C3 grade by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in January 2025, has announced remedial works which will continue into 2026. 

Repeated complaints at Clifton Estate 

In January 2025, residents of Eddleston Drive, Fairisle Close and Lerwick Close, on the Clifton estate, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that, despite their complaints, the conditions on the estate remained “neglected” for some time. Complaints included: 

• Broken fences 
• External render peeling from walls 
• Mould and damp 
• Poor heating and insulation, leading to flats failing to retain the heat 
• Rotting window frames 

In the same month, Nottingham Council, which has been managing its housing stock of 25,000 properties since April 2023, when it took over control from Nottingham City Homes, was handed a C3 rating by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), the second-worst rating that can be given to a social housing provider. A C3 grade is given to local authority and housing association landlords that are seen to have "serious failings" in meeting their consumer standards and can relate to failing to complete electrical safety reports and remedial actions, inadequate fire risk assessments, or a lack of proper policies for tenants.

In June 2025, the Council announced that it would be rolling out a remediation plan to address the ongoing problems at the Clifton estate, and in October 2025, announced that repairs would start and continue into the new year, which was welcomed by residents. However, following the announcement, one Clifton tenant told the LDRS that, although improvements had been made to her flat, they had not been extended to her upstairs neighbour, so some issues persisted.  

How to raise complaints about social housing disrepair 

Social housing tenants, whether living in local authority or housing association properties, have a right to live in a home that is in good repair from the start of their tenancy and throughout, and it is their responsibility to report any issues to their landlord as soon as they arise. It is the landlord's responsibility to respond to and resolve any complaints about disrepair promptly and efficiently. 

Issues such as mould and damp, faulty heating and electrics, and broken or defective windows and doors can cause harm to both tenants' physical and mental health, as well as potentially causing damage to personal belongings.  

In these cases, if they have first gone through their landlord’s complaints procedure with no success, tenants have the right to escalate their complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS). HOS is a free, independent, and impartial body that investigates and resolves disputes between social housing tenants and their landlords, and outcomes can include compensation or repair works, depending on their decision.  

However, Housing Ombudsman decisions are not legally enforceable, and while landlords are compelled to comply, they are not forced to do so. Instead, some tenants choose to go down a legal route to secure legally enforceable repairs or court-awarded compensation.  

Premier Legal Assist can help 

If you’ve reported disrepair to your landlord and nothing has been done, or the problem has only been patched up, you may be entitled to take action. 

You can raise a complaint with the Housing Ombudsman or come to Premier Legal Assist for support. If your case is eligible, we'll connect you with specialist no-win, no-fee housing disrepair solicitors. 

If your case is eligible, our panel of housing lawyers will take care of the legal process for you, aiming to secure both compensation and the repairs you’re owed. 

To check if you're eligible, fill in our quick online form or message us on WhatsApp, and one of our team will get back to you for an initial consultation.