The Wrekin Housing Group Limited (202418657)

REPORT

COMPLAINT 202418657

The Wrekin Housing Group Limited

03 September 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

The complaint is about the landlord’s response to the resident’s concerns about damp and mould.

Background

The resident is an assured tenant of the landlord. The property is a 4-bedroom house. The landlord has allergies and asthma recorded on its system for the resident’s children.
In May 2023 the resident raised a stage 1 complaint. In summary she said that the landlord advised her that there was a long list of repairs due to damp and mould in the property. She had made a request to move because of this in April 2023. She said that her application to move had been protracted. The landlord told her that her rent arrears needed to be cleared before she could apply to move. She asked the landlord to complete the repairs or move her.
The landlord responded also in May 2023. It concluded there was a musty smell in the property and damp detector readings indicated that significant repairs were required. It recommended a move for the resident. It agreed to give the resident a priority transfer and clear the resident’s rent arrears to enable her to join the transfer list.
On 25 January 2024 the resident raised a stage 1 complaint. In summary she said:
1. She had been experiencing damp and mould since 2023. The landlord had advised her that the costs of renewals would be too much, and it put her forward for a transfer. There had been delays in her being transferred due to her requiring a 4-bedroom property.
2. The landlord completed works to the plaster in 2023 but this was now wet. The landlord had not completed any treatment since. This was impacting her household health as they had asthma.
On 2 February 2024 the landlord sent its stage 1 complaint response. In summary it said:
1. To investigate the complaint, it had visited the property and completed a damp and mould survey. During the visit it found that the walls had high readings in spots on the damp meter. The extractor fan isolator was damaged, and the fan was not working correctly. The pull light chord was also missing in the bathroom. It apologised for any upset or inconvenience caused by this. It had booked in the repairs.
2. It had contacted the relevant team about the resident’s housing application and asked them to keep the resident updated.
On 16 February 2024 the resident escalated her complaint to stage 2. In summary she said:
1. The repairs the landlord suggested in 2023 had not been completed. The landlord said that the flooring in her lounge would be replaced but this had not been done. The issues had got worse in the last 9 months and there was plaster on the internal wall that was still wet. She did not consider the landlord had helped her. One of her children had asthma and the other 2 had allergies.
On 21 March 2024 the landlord sent its stage 2 complaint response. In summary it said:
1. It apologised that its stage 1 complaint response had failed to investigate its handling of the issues raised. It agreed that the resident’s property required work and therefore arrears should not have been a barrier to the resident moving.
2. During its visit in March 2023 its assessment that the home required significant work was made based on the observations and previous experience of homes of a similar construction. It concluded that a short-term move would therefore likely be needed, and potentially a permanent move.
3. It agreed that it had not set out a clear explanation about this and how it would manage it in the short term. It had also failed to consider whether works could be done so the resident could remain in her home.
4. When it visited on 16 March 2024 it identified that a potential penetration of the damp proof course had been a factor identified as well as whether there might be colder spots in the downstairs of the property. It had arranged a further visit with a damp specialist on 27 March 2024. During this visit it would talk through its findings and next steps both short and long term with the resident.
5. It agreed to do the following to put matters right:
  1. To write off the resident’s current arrears of £1229.48.
  2. If it concluded that a move was the next best step it would talk the resident through the process. If the resident moved to one of its properties it would pay reasonable moving costs and consider other support like decorating vouchers.
  3. Other options would include whether the resident could rent another property for a period of time. It would pay the rent difference and the deposit if works could be facilitated that way.
6. It considered learning and explained that it was looking to change its processes so that teams would work together more effectively. It would also provide a training programme for its members of staff.
On 9 August 2024 the resident remained dissatisfied and contacted us. She did not consider the landlord had dealt with the damp and mould appropriately. She wanted the property repaired and compensation for the distress and inconvenience the failings had caused.
The resident raised a further formal complaint to the landlord about various matters. The complaint included her concerns about her having to live in a damp property despite being registered to move. On 19 August 2024 the landlord sent its final stage 2 complaint response. It said that as the resident had said she wished to remain in the property it had agreed an action plan and works had begun in August 2024. The landlord said that the resident was made aware that the type of works required would take time to complete.
In August 2025 the landlord informed us that the resident had been temporarily moved to enable it to complete works. It was hopeful that the works would be completed within 6 months.

Assessment and findings

Scope of the investigation

Throughout the complaint and in communication with this Service, the resident said this situation had a detrimental impact on her health and wellbeing. The courts are the most effective place for disputes about personal injury and illness. This is largely because independent medical experts are appointed to give evidence. They have a duty to the court to provide unbiased insights on the diagnosis, prognosis, and cause of any illness or injury. When disputes arise over the cause of an injury, oral testimony can be examined in court. While the Ombudsman cannot consider the effect on health, consideration has been given to any general distress and inconvenience which the resident experienced because of any service failure by the landlord.

The landlord’s response to the resident’s concerns about damp and mould.

The resident raised further complaints to her landlord in August 2024. The final complaint response was provided to us by the landlord but does not form part of this investigation. However, for the purpose of this investigation reference may need to be made to the complaint response issued in August 2024.
The landlord’s repair records show that it attended the resident’s property to deal with a suspected leak in September 2023. It inspected the damp proof course in October. In December it attended again to assess the damp proof course and internal plaster work.
The landlord’s stage 1 complaint response dated 16 February 2024 failed to assess its handling of the matter. It focused on its recent findings following an inspection and the next steps. However, the landlord upheld the resident’s complaint in its stage 2 complaint response. It acknowledged that since May 2023, it had not provided any detail about potential causes of the damp and mould and how it would manage the issues while the resident was waiting to move. It said it should have also considered the option of works being completed and the resident returning, which it had not. It apologised, which was appropriate.
In order to put matters right the landlord said it would arrange for an independent damp and mould survey to be completed. It said it would ensure that the resident would be guided on potential causes and that it would consider the best solution with the resident. It explained what support it would offer should a move be necessary. It offered to clear the resident’s rent arrears. It also considered learning outcomes and explained what steps had or were being taken to ensure that it would not happen again.
Following the landlord’s final stage 2 complaint response it agreed an action plan with the resident. The repair records show that the landlord then completed various surveys and works were then raised shortly after. There were some delays in the works being actioned due to access. The landlord also provided an explanation in its complaint response in August 2024 as to why some works were taking longer to complete. This was reasonable. We are therefore satisfied that the landlord did what it said it would to try to get matters resolved following its complaint response.
In summary the landlord’s response was fair and reasonable. The landlord also considered the impact its failing had on the resident. Its compensation policy enabled it to offset monies owed by the resident against any compensation payment it makes. In this case the landlord offered to pay the resident £1229.48 to clear her rent arrears. The compensation amount was in line with our remedies guidance for situations where there was a failure which had a significant impact on the resident. The landlord offered compensation that the Ombudsman considers was proportionate to the distress and inconvenience experienced by the resident in relation to the landlord’s failings.
We acknowledge the resident’s concerns and the landlord’s update informing us that the resident had to be temporary moved in August 2025 to enable it to complete works. As these events happened after the landlord’s final complaint response, we have made a recommendation that the landlord contact the resident to discuss her concerns. The landlord should then consider its handling of the issues and raise a formal complaint if appropriate.

Determination

In accordance with paragraph 53(b) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, in the Ombudsman’s opinion there was reasonable redress in relation to the landlord’s response to the resident’s concerns about damp and mould.

Recommendation

The reasonable redress finding is dependent on the landlord paying £1229.48 off of the resident’s arrears as offered in its stage 2 response.
It is recommended that the landlord contact the resident to discuss her concerns about its handling of the issues that led to her being temporary moved. The landlord should consider its handling of the issues and raise a formal complaint if appropriate.