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Council’s ‘claims farmer’ warning to tenants

Posted on : 16 Feb 2022

Council’s ‘claims farmer’ warning to tenants
Caerphilly County Borough Council is warning tenants to be wary of ‘claims farmers’ operating in the area.

These companies operate by using a number of methods including cold calling, leaflets and social media to encourage tenants to pursue claims against their landlord for disrepair.  In the majority of cases, tenants will then find themselves with legal costs to pay even if they later withdraw their claim.

The council’s message comes after several incidents in the county borough where vulnerable tenants have been targeted by such companies.  Previous cases dealt with by the council have seen claims management companies delay submitting the claim until the tenant’s cooling off period has ended.  In these cases, the council has completed repairs in the meantime resulting in the claim not being upheld.

Cllr Shayne Cook, the council’s Cabinet Member for Social Care and Housing, said “We’ve been made aware of a number of recent incidents where tenants have been targeted via phone, text message and doorstep calls from ‘claims farmer’ companies.  These companies operate by encouraging tenants to sign an agreement and their details are then sold to a legal firm, who often charges considerable fees which the tenant is liable to pay.

“We urge tenants to be wary of any cold calls they receive and to seek advice from council officers before signing any documents.  Tenants are also reminded that, as part of their Tenancy Agreement, they must let us know quickly if any repairs are needed at their home.”

Council tenants in the Caerphilly county borough can report repairs and seek advice from their local housing office by calling 01443 873535 or visiting.

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