GreenSquareAccord Limited (202407830)
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Decision |
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Case ID |
202407830 |
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Decision type |
Investigation |
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Landlord |
GreenSquareAccord Limited |
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Landlord type |
Housing Association |
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Occupancy |
Assured Tenancy |
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Date |
6 February 2026 |
Background
- On 5 April 2024 the resident contacted the landlord to report that his water was getting too hot. The resident has learning difficulties and medical diagnoses. He asked us to make complaints to the landlord on his behalf.
What the complaint is about
- The complaint is about the landlord’s:
- response to the resident’s concerns about the temperature of his water
- handling of the associated complaint.
Our decision (determination)
- We found that there was:
- maladministration in the landlord’s response to the resident’s concerns about the temperature of his water
- no maladministration in the landlord’s handling of the associated complaint.
We have made orders for the landlord to put things right.
Summary of reasons
Temperature of the water
- The landlord’s response was unreasonably delayed.
Handling of associated complaint
- The landlord provided a formal response at both stages of the process within the timescales set out in its policy and our Complaint Handling Code.
Putting things right
Where we find service failure, maladministration or severe maladministration we can make orders for the landlord to put things right. We have the discretion to make recommendations in all other cases within our jurisdiction.
Orders
Landlords must comply with our orders in the manner and timescales we specify. The landlord must provide documentary evidence of compliance with our orders by the due date set.
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Order |
What the landlord must do |
Due date |
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1 |
Apology order The landlord must apologise in writing to the resident for the failures identified in this report. The landlord must ensure:
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No later than 06 March 2026 |
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2 |
Compensation order The landlord must pay the resident £200 to recognise the distress and inconvenience caused by its response to his concerns about the temperature of his water. This must be paid directly to the resident by the due date. The landlord must provide documentary evidence of payment by the due date. |
No later than 06 March 2026 |
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3 |
Take specific action The landlord should contact the resident using his preferred method of contact to check if he has any further concerns about the shower. If so, it should write to him to confirm an action plan including timescales. |
No later than 06 March 2026 |
Our investigation
The complaint procedure
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Date |
What happened |
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28 May 2024 |
The resident phoned us to ask us to raise a formal complaint with the landlord on his behalf. We wrote to the landlord on the same day to say the resident was unhappy about the temperature of his water, which was scalding hot. We asked the landlord to respond by 18 June 2024. |
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11 June 2024 |
The landlord issued its stage 1 response which said:
– £100 for delays – £100 for the resident having to pursue the matter |
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14 August 2024 |
We spoke to the resident to discuss his request to escalate his complaint to stage 2. |
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14 August 2024 |
We wrote to the landlord to confirm the resident wanted to escalate his complaint because the issue with the water was ongoing. We asked it to respond by 19 September 2024. |
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2 September 2024 |
The landlord issued its stage 2 complaint response. It said it had raised a new repair for the water. |
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Referral to the Ombudsman |
On 22 January 2025 the resident contacted us to say repairs were outstanding. He remained dissatisfied with the landlord’s response. |
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3 February 2026 |
In a call to us, the resident said his shower had not been replaced. He was not satisfied that the matter had been resolved. |
What we found and why
The circumstances of this complaint are well known by the parties involved, so it is not necessary to detail everything that’s happened or comment on all the information we’ve reviewed. We’ve only included the key information that forms the basis of our decision of whether the landlord is responsible for maladministration.
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Complaint |
Response about the temperature of water |
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Finding |
Maladministration |
- The repair logs show that on 5 April 2024 the resident reported that his water was getting too hot. The landlord attended on 12 April 2024 but was unable to gain access to the property. Its response was in line with its repair policy to attend to urgent repairs within 7 days.
- The resident advised he was not aware of the appointment. However, the landlord’s evidence shows it tried to call the resident on 8 April 2024. When it did not get an answer it sent a text. This was in line with its repairs policy which says it will notify residents of appointments.
- The appointment was rebooked for 22 April 2024 and confirmed by text. The landlord was again unable to gain access. It left a calling card for the resident and the appointment was rebooked. The landlord’s response was reasonable in the circumstances.
- The landlord attended the property on 9 May 2024. It noted that water from the shower became hot when water was used elsewhere. It concluded there was an issue with the pressure in the shower. It raised follow-on works for a plumber to attend on 23 May 2024. When they attended they raised follow on works to fit a new mixer tap and basin. It’s unclear how this was linked to the issue with the shower.
- The follow-on works were completed on 17 June 2024. The landlord’s records confirm it tested the temperature of the water which was satisfactory. While this was positive, there’s no evidence that it tested the shower while running water elsewhere. Therefore, it could not be confident that the problem had been fully resolved.
- On 23 August 2024 the landlord raised a works order to reinvestigate the issues with the hot water. The note said when the plumber attended previously they believed there was an issue with the pressure because the shower got hot when water was used elsewhere and was “freezing” when it was turned off. On 29 August 2024 it booked an appointment for its plumber and electrician to attend together on 5 September 2024.
- The landlord’s stage 2 response of 2 September 2024 said it did not know if the ongoing issue reoccurred immediately after its visit on 17 June 2024. Therefore, it was unable to determine if the repair was ineffective or a coincidence. Given there’s no evidence it fully tested the shower its position was inappropriate. It confirmed its intention to visit on 5 September 2024.
- The landlord’s records show that when it attended on 5 September 2024 it replaced the shower because it was running hot and cold. The new shower was tested to ensure it was in good working order.
- The landlord diagnosed an issue with the shower on 9 May 2024. However, it did not resolve the issue until 5 September 2024 which was 4 months later. It therefore failed to comply with the timescale of 28 calendar days to complete routine repairs as set out in its repairs policy.
- The landlord’s stage 1 complaint response of 11 June 2024 found failure with its response to another matter not being considered by this investigation. It offered £200 compensation but did not say if it was solely in relation to that issue. In the landlord’s email to us dated 5 February 2026 it said it was unable to offer any further clarity on the matter.
- The landlord’s stage 1 complaint response did not identify failure with its response to the issue of the water. Therefore, it’s reasonable to conclude that compensation was not offered in relation to that matter.
- The delay in the landlord’s response to resolving the issue with the water amounts to maladministration. The landlord’s compensation procedure is in line with our remedies guidance. It says that payments of £100 and above are appropriate to put right failings where the landlord’s failures adversely affected the resident. In ordering £200 compensation, we have considered the distress and inconvenience caused to the resident by the landlord’s unreasonably delayed response.
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Complaint |
The handling of the associated complaint |
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Finding |
No maladministration |
- Our Complaint Handling Code (‘the Code’) sets out when and how a landlord should respond to complaints. The landlord’s published complaints policy complies with the terms of the Code in respect of timescales which says that landlords should acknowledge complaints at both stages within 5 working days. It should then provide a stage 1 complaint response within 10 working days and a stage 2 response within 20 working days.
- We have not seen whether the landlord acknowledged the resident’s complaint at stage 1. However, its formal response at both stages of the process were provided within the timescales set out within its policy and the Code.
- There was no maladministration in the landlord’s handling of the associated complaint.
Learning
- The landlord should ensure that when it offers compensation it confirms what it is for.
Knowledge and information management (record keeping)
- The landlord provided appropriate records for the purposes of this determination.
Communication
- We did not identify any failures with the landlord’s communication.