Repairs and disrepair — Hyde
If you rent from Hyde and live with damp, mould, leaks or disrepair, you may be able to claim compensation. In 2025-26 the Housing Ombudsman put Hyde's maladministration rate close to the national rate but above the rate for similar landlords, with most severe findings about repairs.[9] In March 2026 the regulator gave Hyde its top consumer grade, C1.[11]
The fastest free route is usually to complain to Hyde first. Checking whether you may have a claim is also free, and you commit to nothing by asking.
If Hyde won't fix a repair, complain first — and build your record
Before thinking about any legal claim, complain to Hyde. It is free, you do not need anyone to do it for you, and it is often the fastest way to get repairs moving. It also creates a written record of what you reported and when — which is exactly the evidence a claim relies on later, if you need one.
How to report a repair to Hyde, and complain. Report a repair through MyAccount, Hyde's online account, or by phone, using the routes on Hyde's repairs page (opens in new tab). Make a complaint through Hyde's complaints page (opens in new tab).[14][15] Hyde runs a two-stage complaints process. At stage 1 it says it will log, review and acknowledge your complaint within five working days, and aim to decide within ten working days of that acknowledgement. Any extension should be no longer than a further ten working days, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you are unhappy, you can ask for a stage 2 review, which it aims to decide within twenty working days, again with any extension no longer than a further twenty.[14]
If the complaint doesn't fix it: the Housing Ombudsman. If you have been through Hyde's two stages and are still unhappy — or your complaint is not progressing — you can take it to the Housing Ombudsman. The service is free and independent, and you can contact it for advice at any point, not just at the end. The Ombudsman can order your landlord to carry out repairs, apologise, and pay you compensation.
If you want free, independent advice at any point, Shelter and Citizens Advice both offer housing advice, and a local law centre can tell you whether you qualify for legal aid — for disrepair, legal aid can be available to make a landlord deal with a serious risk to health or safety, though not normally for a compensation-only claim.
Complaining and claiming are not either/or. Complaining first is the right move in almost every case — and if the repairs still don't happen, the record you have built makes any claim stronger, not weaker.
Could you have a disrepair claim against Hyde?
The landlord you rent from is Hyde Housing Association Limited, part of The Hyde Group. It is a housing association founded in 1967, with its homes predominantly in London and the South East.[1][3] Its scale and current regulator grade are on our main Hyde page.
"Disrepair" means problems with your home that your landlord is legally responsible for fixing but hasn't. Common examples include:
- damp and mould
- leaks — from the roof, pipes, or a flat above
- broken heating or no hot water
- rotten or draughty windows and doors
- cracked walls, unsafe ceilings or other structural problems
- faulty electrics.
You may have a claim against Hyde if all of these apply:
- Hyde is your landlord. Check your tenancy agreement — the landlord named on it is what counts. Your landlord is Hyde Housing Association Limited, part of The Hyde Group.[1]
- Hyde knew about the problem. Usually that means you reported it — so your texts, emails, photos, and repair reference numbers are gold. Keep them.
- It failed to fix the problem in a reasonable time. What is "reasonable" depends on the problem — Hyde's own published repair targets, set out in the FAQs below, are a good guide.[15]
- You were affected — for example, your health suffered, your belongings were damaged, or part of your home became unusable.
If you are a shared owner or a leaseholder in a Hyde building, you have rights too, though the route differs — see the shared-owner question in the FAQs below.
What a disrepair claim can cover
A housing disrepair claim can deal with two things: getting the repairs done, and recognising what living with the problem has cost you. Depending on your situation, a claim may cover:
- the repairs themselves — a court can order Hyde to carry out the work;
- inconvenience and distress — compensation may be sought for the disruption of living with the problem;
- effects on health — for example where damp and mould have made a breathing condition worse;
- damaged belongings — clothes, furniture, carpets or electronics ruined by damp, mould or leaks;
- loss of use of part of your home — such as a bedroom or bathroom you could not safely use.
Every case is different, and no honest adviser can tell you what a claim is worth before looking at your evidence. A proper assessment of your situation is what tells you, plainly, whether it looks strong.
What happens if you start a claim
Step 1 — tell us what's happened. You answer some straightforward questions: what the problem is, when you reported it, what Hyde did (or didn't do), and how it has affected your household. Photos, repair references and complaint responses all help.
Step 2 — get your free report. We assess your answers against the legal tests on this page and give you a clear written view of whether you may have a claim and how strong it looks. Your first conversation with us is always free.
Step 3 — if your case is strong, we connect you with an independent, regulated law firm. If your case needs a solicitor, we will be upfront about that before you commit to anything. They take it from there: advising you, notifying Hyde formally, and usually arranging an independent inspection of your home. Most disrepair cases settle without anyone going to court.
A note on time limits. A disrepair claim is normally treated as a contract claim, with a limitation period of six years from when the landlord should have fixed the problem.[17] Where part of the claim is for an injury to health — damp-related breathing problems, for instance — that element usually carries a shorter, three-year limit instead.[17] Even long-running problems can often still be claimed for, but it makes sense to check where you stand rather than assume. Go in with a realistic timescale, too: disrepair claims usually take months rather than weeks to resolve, and some take longer — which is one more reason to complain first and keep the pressure on for repairs while any claim runs.
Living with disrepair in a Hyde home?
Tell us what's happening in your home and we'll help you work out the right next step.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — if Hyde is your landlord, it knew about the damp or mould (usually because you reported it), and failed to fix it in a reasonable time, you may have a disrepair claim. Housing associations owe the same duties as councils: section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 covers your home's structure and essential installations, your home must be fit for human habitation, and since 27 October 2025 Awaab's Law has set binding timescales for damp and mould hazards. Complain to Hyde first — it is free, and it builds the record any claim relies on.
Since 27 October 2025, Awaab's Law sets legally binding timescales for social landlords. Hyde must investigate a damp and mould hazard within 10 working days and give you a written summary within 3 working days. It must then make a significant hazard safe within 5 working days of the investigation finishing — or secure suitable alternative accommodation for your household, at no cost, until it is fixed. Emergency hazards must be made safe within 24 hours. Hyde also commits to a surveyor visit usually within five to 14 days and a follow-up visit six months after any work.
The Housing Ombudsman's December 2024 special report found widespread maladministration in how Hyde had handled repairs and complaints. It is the kind of in-depth investigation the Ombudsman carries out when casework suggests a systemic failure rather than a one-off. It said "residents have experienced the same problems repeatedly over a number of years", and made a series of recommendations. Hyde apologised and said it had brought its repairs service in-house. The report's figures, and the Ombudsman's newer 2025-26 figures, are on our main Hyde page.
Not on its own. The grade and the Ombudsman's findings come from two different bodies, looking at different things. In 2025-26 the Housing Ombudsman found severe maladministration by Hyde, mostly over responsive repairs. In March 2026 the Regulator of Social Housing inspected how Hyde is run now and gave it C1, its top consumer grade. A good grade does not mean your own problem has been dealt with. What counts is your situation — what you reported, when, and what Hyde did about it. How the two findings fit together is explained on our main Hyde page.
Hyde aims to make your home safe within 24 hours for an emergency, and says most emergencies are attended within four hours. It aims to complete most non-urgent repairs within 30 days, though some can take up to 120 days depending on demand, the weather and the complexity of the job. For damp and mould, Awaab's Law sets separate legally binding timescales — see the damp and mould question on this page. Phase 2 — not yet in force — will extend the rules to more hazards, such as excess cold and electrical hazards, from 30 November 2026.
In practice, yes — and it genuinely helps you. Courts expect both sides to have tried to sort the problem out before a claim is issued, and your complaint creates the dated paper trail a claim relies on. Hyde runs a two-stage process — see "If Hyde won't fix a repair, complain first" for the timescales and where to complain. If the complaint doesn't fix things, the Housing Ombudsman is free and independent — and a disrepair claim stays open to you throughout. Complaining first isn't a detour; it's the foundation.
Partly, and it's important to know the differences. Shared ownership is a lease, and who is responsible for which repairs depends on the terms of your lease — often you carry more of the repair responsibility than a renting tenant does. Awaab's Law does not apply to shared ownership homes. But you are not without options: you can use Hyde's complaints process and go to the Housing Ombudsman, and depending on your lease and the nature of the problem — for example, structural or communal defects in a block — a claim may still be possible.
Not to start with — and, for compensation, not necessarily at all. You can report repairs, complain, and go to the Housing Ombudsman yourself, all free — and it can order repairs, an apology and compensation, with no fee. A court claim is different: it is normally done through a solicitor, and worth considering where serious disrepair has gone on a long time or the free routes have not worked. Remedy Legal is not a law firm: we check whether you may have a claim and, if it is strong, connect you with an independent, regulated law firm.
There is no fixed amount, and you should be cautious of anyone who quotes you a figure before seeing your evidence. What compensation may be sought for depends on how serious the disrepair was, how long it went on after Hyde knew, how it affected your household's health and daily life, and what belongings were damaged. The honest answer is that it has to be assessed case by case.
No — complaining, going to the Ombudsman, or bringing a disrepair claim should not put your tenancy at risk. Most housing association tenants are assured tenants, which means Hyde could only evict through a court, on legal grounds — and asking your landlord to meet its legal repair duties is not one of them. Complaining is a formal right under Hyde's own published complaints process. Keep everything in writing, keep your reference numbers, and don't be put off.
About this data
Information on this page was last checked on 9 October 2026. Regulatory grades and Ombudsman figures are correct as at the dates shown against each figure and may have changed since. Grades are reviewed and may change.
We aim for accuracy. If you represent this landlord or spot something out of date, contact legal@remedylegal.ai and we will review it promptly.
Remedy Legal is not a law firm and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We do not carry out reserved legal activities or act as your legal representative. If your case needs a solicitor, we can connect you with an independent, regulated law firm.
Sources
- Hyde Housing Association Limited (Registered Society No 18195R) (opens in new tab). FCA Mutuals Public Register. Checked 9 October 2026.
- The Hyde Group (opens in new tab). The Hyde Group. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Special report on Hyde Housing Association (opens in new tab). Housing Ombudsman Service. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 5 December 2024.
- Hyde Housing Association Limited (202234547) — decision (opens in new tab). Housing Ombudsman Service. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 30 September 2024.
- Hyde Housing Association Limited (202407295) — decision (opens in new tab). Housing Ombudsman Service. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 23 May 2025.
- Hyde Housing Association Limited (202418882) — decision (opens in new tab). Housing Ombudsman Service. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 4 August 2025.
- Hyde Housing Association Limited (202504943) — decision (opens in new tab). Housing Ombudsman Service. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 4 December 2025.
- Hyde Housing Association Limited (202504058) — decision (opens in new tab). Housing Ombudsman Service. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 20 April 2026.
- Landlord Performance Report 2025/26 – Hyde Housing Association Limited (data refreshed May 2026) (opens in new tab). Housing Ombudsman Service. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 31 March 2026.
- Annual Complaints Review 2025-26 (sector-wide, incl. the national maladministration rate) (opens in new tab). Housing Ombudsman Service. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 31 March 2026.
- Hyde Housing Association Limited (LH0032) — Regulatory Judgement: 25 March 2026 (opens in new tab). Regulator of Social Housing (GOV.UK). Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 25 March 2026.
- Tenant Satisfaction Measures (opens in new tab). The Hyde Group. Checked 9 October 2026; data as at 31 March 2026.
- TSM Questionnaire 2025/26 (opens in new tab). The Hyde Group. Checked 9 October 2026.
- The complaints process explained (opens in new tab). The Hyde Group. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Repairs and maintenance (opens in new tab). The Hyde Group. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Tackling damp, mould and condensation in your home (opens in new tab). The Hyde Group. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Limitation Act 1980 (c. 58), section 5 (time limit for actions founded on simple contract) (opens in new tab). legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Checked 20 July 2026.
- Limitation Act 1980 (c. 58), section 11 (special time limit for actions in respect of personal injuries) (opens in new tab). legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Checked 20 July 2026.
- The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1042) (opens in new tab). legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Checked 10 July 2026; data as at 27 October 2025.
- Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords — Timeframes for repairs in the social rented sector (opens in new tab). GOV.UK (MHCLG). Checked 10 July 2026; data as at 27 October 2025.
- Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, section 42 (inserting s.10A LTA 1985) (opens in new tab). legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Checked 10 July 2026.
- Awaab's Law in the social rented sector (collection): "Phase 2 will come into force on 30 November 2026" (commencement confirmed 13 July 2026) (opens in new tab). GOV.UK (MHCLG). Checked 31 July 2026; data as at 13 July 2026.