London & Quadrant Housing Trust (202534621)

Background

1. The resident first reported issues with her boiler in July 2025. The landlord replaced the boiler in January 2026. During that time the resident complained that the landlord missed appointments to resolve the issue. She explained that at points during that period she did not have any heating or hot water.

What the complaint is about

2. The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s boiler repairs.

Our decision (determination)

3. There was reasonable redress which satisfactorily resolved the complaint about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s boiler repairs.

Reasons

4. Landlords have a legal obligation to keep their heating and hot water installations, such as boilers in good repair. Once notified about an issue, they should resolve the matter within a reasonable time period.
5. The landlord’s policy says that it will carry out routine repairs within 20 working days and complex repairs within 40 working days. The landlord’s compensation policy says that it will compensate residents for loss of heating and hot water at £12 per day. It says that it will only compensate residents for loss of heating between October and May. It also offered £20 for missed appointments.
6. In its December 2025 stage 2 response, the landlord acknowledged that it had missed appointments to repair the resident’s boiler. It also acknowledged there was a delay in resolving the repair.
7. In recognition of its failings. It offered the resident:
   1. £164 for loss of hot water from July 2025.
   2. £80 for loss of heating from October 2025.
   3. £400 for distress, inconvenience, time and trouble caused.
8. The landlord explained that it:
   1. Calculated the resident’s compensation award for no hot water from July 2025 and halved the amount. This was because it was unable to identify the specific dates the resident went without hot water.
   2. Calculated the resident’s compensation award for no heating from October 2025, in line with its policy.
   3. Was unable to offer compensation from the period the resident declined its offer of temporary heaters.
9. The landlord’s calculations and approach to its compensation award was reasonable. For example, while the specific dates are unclear, the available evidence shows that the resident did have heating and hot water at some periods during July and December 2025.
10. Given that the resident incurred distress, inconvenience time and trouble over an approximately 5 month period at the time, the landlord’s £400 compensation was reasonable and proportionate. It was also in line with our compensation guidance for failings that adversely affected the resident.
11. The landlord and its contractor agreed to pay for 5 missed appointments. This was reasonable. It is noted that the contractor’s compensation for missed appointments exceeded the landlord’s policy offer. Therefore, the total compensation for the missed appointments is unclear. A recommendation has been made for the landlord to ensure these payments have been made to the resident.
12. The evidence shows that the boiler was replaced in January 2026. While this was a month after the landlord’s stage 2 response, there is no evidence to suggest this further delay was due to the landlord’s failing.
13. However, we have made a recommendation for the landlord to review its handling of the repair after it issued its stage 2 response, and if further failings are identified, it should offer the resident further compensation.

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.

Recommendations

Our recommendations are not binding, and a landlord may decide not to follow them.