Housing Disrepair Crisis Faced By Elderly People in Wales

How Housing Disrepair Experts are Helping Older People in Wales

The housing crisis in Wales is affecting a significant number of older citizens, with issues ranging from hazardous staircases to rotting floors and leaky gas fires. Shockingly, almost 20% of homes in Wales have a hazard that puts human health at risk, and for homes built before 2019, it is over 33%.

The increasing pressures faced by the Welsh NHS due to climate crises and pandemic enforced lockdowns make the situation more critical. Sadly, older people are suffering the most, as they are the ones who are more likely to own their homes.

At Housing Disrepair Experts, we are seeing an increasing number of older people in Wales who need our help to address their housing disrepair issues. Last year, the number of older people we represented was the highest we have had for six years.

We know that many older people are suffering from health issues as a direct result of housing disrepair issues in their homes. We have seen cases where people have been discharged after being treated for a protracted illness caused by mould and damp in their homes. In some cases, people are forced to continue to live in hazardous conditions because they cannot afford to put their home in good repair. This is unacceptable.

While some local authorities offer loans to assist people with housing disrepair, older persons are at a disadvantage as they cannot use these loans. Many of the older persons we represent disclose a disability, and the adaptations or work needed to be done to put the home in a good state of repair can be beyond the financial limit of the loan. Therefore, more and more people are discouraged from applying for loans and are forced to live in uninhabitable conditions.

What Can Be Done?

At Housing Disrepair Experts, we believe that introducing a national safety net housing repair grant for low-income older people can help improve the quality of life for present and future generations. Distributing these funds through trusted partners of the Welsh Government will help needy elderly persons access the much-needed financial support to fix the disrepair issues in their home.

We also believe that tackling energy efficiency and carbon emissions is vital to keeping older people warm and helping the Welsh Government achieve its goal of decarbonising all 1.4 million homes by 2050.

Speak with the experts

If you are facing housing disrepair claims, our no win no fee housing solicitors are only a phone call away. Reach out to us via our Housing Disrepair Experts to start your claims.