Sovereign Network Group (202417641)

REPORT

COMPLAINT 202417641

Sovereign Network Homes

14 October 2025

Our approach

The Housing Ombudsman’s approach to investigating and determining complaints is to decide what is fair in all the circumstances of the case. This is set out in the Housing Act 1996 and the Housing Ombudsman Scheme (the Scheme). The Ombudsman considers the evidence and looks to see if there has been any ‘maladministration’, for example whether the landlord has failed to keep to the law, followed proper procedure, followed good practice or behaved in a reasonable and competent manner.

Both the resident and the landlord have submitted information to the Ombudsman and this has been carefully considered. Their accounts of what has happened are summarised below. This report is not an exhaustive description of all the events that have occurred in relation to this case, but an outline of the key issues as a background to the investigation’s findings.

The complaint

1. The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s:
   1. reports of repairs to the roof and damp and mould.
   2. complaints.

Background

2. The resident holds a secure tenancy with the landlord. The property is a flat within a block. The resident and her daughter, who both live in the property, have respiratory conditions which the landlord is aware of.
3. On 8 June 2023 the resident told the landlord there was damp and mould on her bathroom wall. She said this was also affecting the adjoining living room wall. On 23 June 2023 a contractor attended to investigate. They identified water ingress caused by loose and cracked bathroom tiles.
4. The landlord carried out a damp survey on 11 August 2023. This resulted in a recommendation to replace the fans and a request for a surveyor to attend the property. On 8 September 2023 a surveyor attended.
5. On 3 October 2023, after the resident asked for an update, the landlord told her that the recommended internal works had been approved. The resident said she was also told on this date told that scaffolding for roof repairs would be needed. The landlord said that a contractor would contact the resident the following week to organise a date to commence internal repair work. On 27 October 2023 a contractor attended the resident’s property and replaced the ventilation unit.
6. The resident contacted the landlord on 31 October and 6 November 2023 to ask for an update on the internal work. The landlord responded on 16 November 2023 to say that a contractor would be in touch with the resident on 20 November 2023. A contractor attended on 21 November 2023 to inspect the property.
7. On 19 January 2024 a contractor arranged an appointment with the resident to carry out roof repairs on 30 January 2024. The resident said that on 13, 23 and 27 February 2024, contractors attended the property to work on the roof.
8. On 25 March 2024 the resident said she was told that the roof was in a state of disrepair. She requested a different contractor to take over the work, as she said she had lost trust in the original contractor. On 25 May 2024 the landlord assigned the outstanding internal works to a new contractor.
9. The landlord said that it emailed the resident on 9 April 2024 to confirm that the roof repairs had been completed and it had asked for the scaffolding to be removed.
10. On 2 May 2024 the resident raised her stage 1 complaint. She said she was seeking clear plans and timeframes to resolve the issues. The complaint concerned:
    1. roof repair delays and damp and mould
    2. being told somebody would get back to her, but never receiving any meaningful updates.
11. In its stage 1 response issued on 30 May 2024, the landlord said that:
    1. the quality of service fell short of the standards residents should expect
    2. contractors would be in touch to arrange the repair work
    3. it offered £612 in compensation for the delay, distress, time, and trouble caused.
12. On 7 June 2024 the resident escalated her complaint. She said that:
    1. the landlord had not addressed the distress, disruption and upheaval to her life since she first raised the issue
    2. there was still no clarity on when internal repairs would take place and, because of this, she wanted to be permanently moved to a more suitable property
    3. the scaffolding being left in place was a major, ongoing issue
    4. she was extremely dissatisfied by the quality of communications from the landlord and contractors
    5. she would like a senior member of staff to act as her single point of contact and to take responsibility for the case
    6. she had spent money on a dehumidifier and mould treatments
    7. she had to dispose of furniture and belongings affected by damp
    8. she would like financial compensation which more accurately reflected the significant distress and upheaval this matter had caused.
13. On 10 July 2024 the resident reported an out of hours repair because part of the ceiling in the boiler cupboard had collapsed. The landlord said this needed to be raised with the roofing contractors. A drip tray was left as a temporary measure.
14. In its stage 2 response issued on 12 July 2024, the landlord provided a list of works to be completed for each room. In addition, it said that:
    1. on review of an inspection report, it did not feel that a temporary move was necessary
    2. an appointment would need to be made with the contractor to complete the works
    3. the dampness project team was the resident’s point of contact for the case
    4. it would offer an additional £270 in compensation bringing the total to £882.
15. At the time the final response letter was issued, the repair work was outstanding and there were no planned dates for completion.
16. Since receiving the landlord’s final response, the resident continued to chase up outstanding works regularly. She has reached out to the landlord’s chief executive and her local MP for support. We understand the landlord has since completed all the repairs.
17. The resident told us she is seeking:
    1. accountability to be taken by the landlord
    2. reassurance that improvements will be made in the landlord’s service in future
    3. financial compensation to more accurately reflect the impact the situation has had on her.

Assessment and findings

Scope of investigation

18. The resident has referred to the impact the situation has had on the health of her and her daughter, along with damage caused to personal belongings. Although we can consider the impact the situation has had on the household and whether the landlord acted reasonably, we cannot determine liability for damage to health or belongings. These are matters better suited to an insurance claim or court. Any compensation offer will be assessed in line with our remedies guidance. If the resident wishes to pursue these matters further, she should seek legal advice.
19. We understand the resident has been reporting roof issues since 2019. We encourage residents to raise complaints with their landlords in a timely manner. This is because with the passage of time, evidence may be unavailable and personnel involved may have left an organisation, which makes it difficult for a thorough investigation to take place. In a timeline the resident provided, there is a gap in roofing issues between September 2022 and October 2023. Considering the availability and reliability of evidence, we consider it fair and reasonable to investigate reported issues with the roof from October 2023 onwards.

The resident’s reports of repairs to the roof and damp and mould

20. The landlord’s repairs policy says it will provide a prompt repairs service that residents are satisfised with. It says that after the resident reports a repair, the landlord will aim to attend the property within 2 weeks and complete the repair within one calendar month. Complex repairs, such as those which need specialist contractors or surveys, have a targeted completion time of 90 days. The landlord commits to keeping the resident informed about timescales.
21. The landlord’s damp and mould policy says the landlord will remain in regular and effective communication with a resident following a report of damp and mould being made and provide progress updates from beginning to end. Depending on the severity of the problem, it will also consider if a temporary move is necessary.
22. Landlords need to make sure their homes are safe, warm, and free from hazards. When a resident reports a risk, the landlord should quickly inspect the property to check for hazards. They must determine if the home is safe and fit to live in. Ignoring hazards can lead to serious consequences for everyone involved.
23. When the resident reported damp and mould in the property in June 2023, the landlord organised an inspection to take place within 8 working days. The landlord’s repairs log says that 3 further inspections, including a damp survey, took place by 8 September 2023. In this time, the landlord had agreed to contact the resident on 2 occasions but there is no evidence that it did. The resident chased up updates twice. The landlord acted reasonably by organising an initial inspection within 2 weeks of the issue being reported, in line with its obligations. It was also reasonable to take more time to complete follow-up inspections, if it considered the repair to be complex. However, it was not reasonable that the resident had to actively seek updates from the landlord and was not given information about timescales.
24. We acknowledge that resolving leaks and damp and mould can be complex and take time. In these circumstances it is important for the landlord to provide clear and effective communication to the resident, giving regular updates and setting out its expectations. In this case, the landlord’s communication with the resident was not reasonable. There were few updates and she had to regularly chase for information.
25. Internal emails from the landlord show the outstanding repairs were considered “urgent” and highlighted that it needed to be resolved before it turned into a disrepair case. This suggests that the landlord understood the severity of the issues. On 18 October 2023 following inspections and a call back request from the resident, the landlord’s repairs log shows that a job for damp and mould was raised. We understand that scaffolding was also put up at this time.
26. The landlord said in its stage 1 response that on 27 October 2023, a contractor, due to lack of detail in the job description, completed the wrong repair. A different contractor contacted the resident on 31 October 2023 to make an appointment. The resident said in her stage 1 complaint that the contractor was not sure what this was for. A contactor was then due to go to the property on 3 November 2023 and did not attend. By this time, the landlord had exceeded its 90-day timeframe for completing complex repairs, had not given the resident indication of timescales for completion and had not explained the delay. The uncertainty and confusion from the contractors likely caused further distress and frustration to the resident.
27. The landlord said in its complaint response that in November and December 2023 the resident asked for a list of planned works on 3 occasions. There is no evidence that this was provided. That was not reasonable and did not align with the landlord’s commitment to keeping residents informed about timescales.
28. Between 24 January and 25 March 2024, the resident said that contractors attended the property four times unannounced for roof repairs. This likely caused distress to the resident to have contractors climbing the scaffolding without advance warning. The landlord has not provided evidence for this period but does not dispute the resident’s accounts.
29. On 25 March 2024 the resident emailed the landlord to ask that a new contractor complete the works. The landlord agreed and acknowledged fault. It offered an apology for not providing better lines of communication. It said it should have done more to communicate the complexities of the works which required access to the roof and neighbouring properties. This was a positive gesture however we do not consider it appropriately acknowledged the severity of the issue and impact this had on the resident.
30. The landlord’s repairs log shows that a job was raised on 28 May 2024 to carry out internal works. Further comments on the repairs log suggest that this job was cancelled due to a “prolonged roofing issue.” There is no evidence that this was communicated to the resident.
31. In its stage 1 response on 30 May 2024 the landlord acknowledged service failings. It offered an apology for the distress and inconvenience caused. It also provided a list of planned works. However, in its assessment of the complaint, it started its investigation from 2 August 2023. This discounted any of its failings since the initial reporting of damp and mould on 8 June 2023. The landlord also referenced that the resident’s property was part of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (the decarbonisation fund), meaning that certain works would be carried out at “a future date.”
32. While it was positive that the landlord acknowledged fault and gave the resident a planned work list, we do not believe that the complaint response accurately acknowledged the extent of the issues caused and the delays experienced. It had also failed to provide timescales for the repairs. Further, its reference to the decarbonisation fund, without more explanation, would likely have caused confusion.
33. In its final complaint response, the landlord said it was upholding the resident’s complaint and concluded that it would resolve the damp and mould issues.
34. While the landlord had accepted responsibility, it did not offer any meaningful resolution or properly consider the impact its failings had on the resident. It would have been reasonable for it to have raised the reports of damaged property to its insurance team and consider if reimbursement for the dehumidifier was appropriate, in line with its compensation policy. By the end of the complaint process, the landlord gave no indication of when the repairs would be completed. This was not reasonable. We have made an order for the landlord to provide details of its liability insurer to the resident, if it has not done so already.
35. The landlord had also decided that a temporary move was not necessary. However, 2 weeks after issuing its final response letter in July 2024, the landlord told the resident in an email that it was reconsidering this. In January 2025, the resident was temporarily moved. As the landlord aims to complete complex repairs in 90 days, we do not consider 6 months to be a reasonable timeframe for it to decide and organise a temporary move for damp and mould work to take place.
36. When deciding compensation, the landlord awarded a total of £882. It was reasonable that it reviewed its compensation at stage 2 and amended the amount to more accurately reflect the impact its failings had on the resident. However, it is not clear why it only backdated this for 6 weeks or why it originally calculated 34 weeks. There is also no evidence that additional awards for missed appointments, lack of follow up after the stage 1 complaint or the time and trouble spent by the resident chasing the matter were considered in line with its compensation policy which says it will consider discretionary payments for such matters. The compensation rationale does not appear to reflect the impact the issues have had on the resident.
37. We have found maladministration in this case for the following reasons:
    1. the landlord did not communicate timescales for repairs and significantly exceeded the 90 day time limit outlined in its repairs policy
    2. the resident was repeatedly left for prolonged periods without information from the landlord about the progress of repairs and the scope of work, resulting in the resident spending time asking for updates
    3. on several occasions the resident experienced missed call backs, missed appointments and uncertainty from contractors which could reasonably have added to her frustration
    4. the landlord did not appropriately acknowledge the impact the property condition had on the resident
    5. the landlord did not properly, in good time, consider a temporary move for the resident in line with its damp and mould policy
    6. at the end of the complaints process, the resident did not have clarity on when works would be completed and continued to spend time seeking updates.
38. We have made an order below for the landlord to ensure it is satisfied that outstanding repair work has been completed and to apologise to the resident for the failings identified in this investigation.
39. Based on the length of time taken and level of failings, we have ordered the landlord to pay an additional £800 in compensation, with emphasis on the significant length of time taken overall to complete repairs. This also intends to reflect the time and trouble, distress, inconvenience and uncertainty experienced by the resident. This is in line our remedies guidance for failings which have had a significant impact on the resident, and where the landlord has failed to fully address the detriment to the resident. This sum also reflects the fact that, due to the vulnerabilities within the household, the landlord’s failings would have had a more severe effect on them compared to other residents in the same position without those vulnerabilities.

The associated complaints

40. The landlord’s complaint policy says that, in line with our Complaint Handling Code (the Code), the landlord will acknowledge complaints within 5-working days of receipt. It will respond to stage 1 complaints within 10 working days of the acknowledgement and stage 2 complaints within 20 working days. If more time is needed, reasons would be explained to the resident and a new response date agreed. For a stage 2 complaint, this extension would not exceed an additional 20 working days. Landlords must address all points raised in the complaint definition.
41. The resident emailed the landlord on 2 May 2024 with the subject “formal complaint”, detailing her dissatisfaction with ongoing issues with the roof and internal repairs. We have not seen evidence of an acknowledgement being given to the resident. When it issued its final response on 30 May 2024, it thanked the resident for raising her complaint on 14 May 2024. The landlord issued its response 18 working days after the resident made her complaint and referenced the wrong date. In its response, the landlord failed to address specific aspects of the complaint, such as the resident’s request to be moved into an alternative property while repairs took place. These were failings by the landlord and its actions were not in line with the Code.
42. The resident escalated her complaint on 7 June 2024. We have not seen evidence of an acknowledgement being sent. It issued its final response after 25 working days of the complaint escalation. In its final response the landlord failed to address multiple aspects of the complaint, such as the resident and her daughter’s health conditions, damaged belongings and the level of distress, disruption and upheaval caused by the landlord’s failure to complete repairs. These were failings and not in line with the Code.
43. There is no evidence that the landlord acknowledged its complaint handling failures. As such it has not demonstrated our dispute resolution principles – be fair, learn from outcomes and put things right, when managing the complaint or communicating with the resident.
44. We have made a finding of maladministration in relation to the landlord’s complaint handling. We have made an order below to pay the resident £100 in compensation. This is in line with our remedies guidance for failings of short duration which were not appropriately acknowledged or put right.

Determination

45. In accordance with paragraph 52 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, there was maladministration in relation to the landlord’s handling of the resident’s reports of repairs to the roof and damp and mould.
46. In accordance with paragraph 52 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, there was maladministration in relation to the landlord’s handling of the associated complaints.

Orders and recommendations

Orders

47. Within 4 weeks of the date of this report, the landlord must provide evidence that it has:
    1. Given a written apology to the resident for the failings identified in this report. A senior director must make the apology.
    2. Ensured it is satisfied that all repairs associated with this complaint have been completed.
    3. Identified what went wrong in this case and why. Tell the resident what it has learned from this complaint and what changes will be made to improve service standards in the future.
    4. Provided details of its liability insurer to the resident, if it has not done so already.
    5. Paid the resident £1782 in compensation. This is made up of:
       1. £882 originally offered in its complaint responses.
       2. £800 for the distress and inconvenience caused by the landlord’s handling of the repairs to the roof and damp and mould.
       3. £100 for the landlord’s complaint handling.
       4. This must be paid directly to the resident and not offset against any arrears, where they exist. The landlord may deduct any payments already made directly to the resident in relation to this complaint.