Mansfield District Council is warning its tenants that representatives of ‘no-win no-fee’ solicitors are gaining access to their homes by pretending to be council officers.
It is urging tenants to be sure of the identity of any cold callers before allowing them into their home.
The council has evidence of door-knocking cold callers touting for business on behalf of law firms by targeting tenants on council estates – some of them extremely vulnerable, with medical conditions.
The callers imply that they are from the council to inspect homes for repairs that need to be done.
However, once over the threshold, tenants are then encouraged to take out legal claims against the council with a possibility of winning compensation under laws that oblige landlords to carry out repairs within certain timeframes.
The council currently has 108 such claims lodged against it, but few ever get to court and tenants can end up liable for costs hidden in the small print of these claims despite assurances that they are ‘no-win no-fee’ cases.
Most of the cases end up being dropped with the repairs carried out by the council within proscribed time scales.
Cllr Anne Callaghan, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “These cold callers are targeting council tenants, often with a false promise of getting compensation, despite the fact that the council has a good and improving record of carrying out repairs within the correct timescales.
“Sometimes we have discovered these ‘inspectors’ have even fabricated repairs such as damp and mould, in order to make an alleged claim under the Landlord and Tenant Act.
“These claims take up a lot of officer time and cost the council money unnecessarily – money that could be spent on vital services instead.
“The council is a good and responsible landlord and ensuring our tenants have safe and decent housing is a priority.”
Simon Ford, Head of Housing Repairs at the council, said: “Council officers would never just turn up on your doorstep. We always make an appointment to inspect a home or we send out a letter alerting tenants that someone will be calling on them.
“We are very disturbed that these callers are gaining entry to the homes of sometimes extremely vulnerable and poorly tenants.
“The residents think they can win thousands in compensation with these claims but most never get to court – usually because there is no case to answer.
“should a Sometimes our tenants can even incur costs themselves along the way which are hidden in the terms and conditions of their claim.”
Tenants are urged to:
· Ask to see a caller’s identification or letter authorising them entry on behalf of the council
· Contact the council if they are unsure who is on their doorstep
· Call the council Contact Centre on 01623 463463 or email MDC@mansfield.gov.uk (link opens in email app) if their home is in need of repair. There is an out-of- hours number for emergency repairs: 01623 463050.
The latest figures show that so far in 2025/26, the council has completed 95.4% of urgent repairs on time and 79.26% of non urgent repairs on time, with an overall figure of 86.03% completed within the legal timeframe.