Tenants claim landlords 'ignored' injury-causing house hazards

Tenants are fighting back against dodgy homes and their landlords, suing them for hundreds of thousands of dollars, after ending up in hospital in incidents they claim were completely avoidable.

Helen Farkas had lived in her Slacks Creek rental home for more than 15 years.

The single mother of two says she complained multiple times more recently about the deterioration of her back steps.

She claims the real estate failed to act, until the steps gave out one day.

"As I've stepped onto the top run, it's rotted through, and I've fallen the whole way through and hit concrete," an emotional Helen told A Current Affair.

Helen smashed her heel on the concrete, breaking her foot, big toe and a rib.

Despite the fact the real estate acknowledged Helen had previously complained, their response was to take away the stairs and board up the back of her house.

Now Helen is suing her landlord and real estate for more than $270,000.

She's still unable to work, and has to take painkillers daily.

Chris Dietmann has also started legal action against his landlord and real estate.

He claims he had complained multiple times about his back deck, before it collapsed under him while he was trying to move his barbecue.

"I just panicked and grabbed whatever I could to try get back on my feet, and ended up on my back," Chris said.

The barbecue ended up on top of him, aggravating an already existing back injury.

Lawyer Jillian Barrett, from Maurice Blackburn believes both Helen's and Chris' injuries were avoidable.

She claims they're seeing more and more people fall victim to dodgy homes.

"We've seen things from electrocutions through to stairs falling down, decks falling down, stairs not being up to code and people falling down the stairs," Ms Barrett said.

That's what happened to Lizzy Moxham.

She's suing her brother's landlord and real estate after she fell from a flight of stairs after leaving his house after dinner.

"My brother had complained many times before, he'd brought it up every time they had their three-monthly inspection," Lizzy said.

Lizzy landed heavily on her foot, breaking it and tearing the ligaments requiring extensive surgery.

They later found out the steps weren't even complaint due to the large drop at the bottom.

Two years on the nursing student still suffers from ongoing pain.

She believes her injury could have been avoided, had the real estate acted when it was first reported.

Ms Barrett suggests anyone who believes there's a safety issue at their rental property should make sure they take photos, and report the issue in writing to their landlord.