Disrepair in your Leicester rental?
You have the right to act.

What tenants in Leicester need to know

Leicester has a large and growing private rental sector, shaped by its two universities — the University of Leicester and De Montfort University — and a diverse population with a high proportion of younger renters. The city's substantial Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing stock, concentrated in and around the inner city, creates a persistent pipeline of disrepair issues: damp, failing heating systems, structural decay, and inadequate insulation are among the most commonly reported problems.

Neighbourhoods including Highfields, Belgrave, Evington, Spinney Hills, New Parks, Braunstone Gate, and Eyres Monsell contain high concentrations of older privately rented properties where disrepair complaints are disproportionately frequent. Leicester City Council operates an active housing enforcement function under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and has introduced selective licensing in certain higher-density rental areas — giving tenants an additional enforcement route alongside a county court claim.

Leicester's large stock of Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing — much of it in continuous use as rental accommodation for decades — is particularly vulnerable to rising and penetrating damp, failing roof coverings, outdated plumbing, and inadequate heating. The city's selective licensing programme has increased scrutiny of rental conditions, but a significant volume of properties still fall short of the required standard, and tenants have clear and direct routes to compensation.