A2Dominion Housing Group Limited (202431630)

REPORT

COMPLAINT 202431630

A2Dominion Housing Group Limited

31 July 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 resident’s complaint is about the landlord’s handling of:
1. Reports of damp, mould and associated repairs.
2. Its delay in reimbursing for the dehumidifier.
We have also considered the landlord’s handling of the resident’s complaint.

Background

The resident is a secure tenant of the landlord, a housing association. The tenancy commenced on 7 February 2000. The property is a two-bedroom flat.
The complaint concerns two vulnerable residents, and the landlord is aware of their vulnerabilities. The representative has been dealing with this complaint on behalf of the residents, his parents.
During July 2023 the residents started to experience issues concerning damp and mould. This was reported to the landlord, who arranged for a survey to be completed in August 2023. This recommended that the windows be changed to double glazing. These works were scheduled for May 2024.
During March 2024 the representative informed the landlord the mould kept returning in the bedroom. He also stated the skirting was rotten and that the brand new wet room which was installed in January 2024 was being affected. In response an operative had recommended the landlord provide the residents with a dehumidifier to help manage the moisture in the property. It also arranged for a mould wash to be completed and confirmed that other issues would be addressed when its contractors attended to complete works scheduled.
On 26 April 2024 the representative contacted the landlord stating that the following works had not been completed.
1. Mould in cupboard.
2. Rotten skirting boards around the flat.
3. Rotten wall in living room.
4. Mould on bedroom wall.
During May 2024 contractors attended to replace all the windows. The representative reiterated his concerns about the rotten skirting board and wall to the landlord. He also stated follow on work to paint over a previously cleaned cupboard was needed and vents needed to be fitted to them. Operatives attended that month to carry out the remaining works.
The representative raised a complaint on 28 September 2024 about the ongoing issues concerning damp and mould. The representative was seeking compensation for his parents for the time, energy, stress and impact on their health. He further said he had to chase for over a year for this matter to be resolved.
The representative contacted the landlord in October 2024 informing it that the works to the windows had not resolved the damp and mould. It agreed to have a mould wash carried out, however the representative had to chase for this on several occasions. The representative stated the landlord needed to carry out the following actions:
1. Identify and resolve the issue of mould still appearing in the flat.
2. Repair mould damage caused to the residents’ brand-new wet room. This work included regrouting some tiles, new mastic sealant to mould damaged areas, replace shower curtains that have mould damage, and replacing mould damaged shower chair.
3. Clean mould behind the sofa in living room.
4. Replace the radiator in living room or repaint it as it was damaged from mould.
5. Replace the mould damaged skirting under the radiators in the living room, and behind the piano in the living room.
6. Collect the humidifier fan and reimburse the residents for its use.
A damp and mould clean was completed in November 2024. The landlord also acknowledged the residents’ complaint was about the ongoing issues regarding damp and mould. It issued its stage one response on 15 November 2024, this explained:
1. It recognised the representative had chased on multiple occasions regarding the damp and mould, however there was service failure in progressing the concerns.
2. It had arranged for a surveyor to attend on 29 November 2024 to carry out a thorough inspection.
3. In recognition of its failures the landlord apologised and offered the residents £150 for time and trouble, £100 for stress and inconvenience, and £100 for poor communication.
The representative asked for the complaint to be escalated to stage two on 19 November 2024.
An inspection was carried out on 28 November 2024. It confirmed that all windows had been changed in the property and mould washes had been completed. However, mould was still present in the rooms. Remedial works were recommended.
The representative contacted the landlord during December 2024, stating the mould still remained in the bedroom and bathroom. He also informed the landlord this was behind the radiator.
The landlord provided the resident with a stage two response on 21 January 2025. It understood the residents’ concerns to be about unresolved issues concerning damp and mould. This response explained that:
1. After reviewing the report, the following works were required:
  1. Tanking of external walls, skim and repaint.
  2. Further investigation to external render and Damp Proof Course.
  3. Decorate all rooms once completed with anti mould paint.
  4. Check or replace passive vent in bedroom.
  5. Install passive vent in the lounge.
  6. Change extraction fan in bathroom to more powerful unit.
  7. Repaint ceiling.
  8. Change radiator and disability chair.
  9. Paint exterior walls with storm dry.
2. It confirmed that a damp and mould specialist should be in touch by 24 January 2025 to discuss next steps. It was unable to confirm when works would be completed due to the extent of works needed.
3. It acknowledged following the residents’ communication in October 2024 that works did not improve the damp and mould, and that he had to chase on several occasions for an update.
4. It offered a further £375 compensation in addition to the offer at stage one. This was to reflect poor communication, time, trouble, stress, inconvenience and delay.
On 1 February 2025 the representative chased reimbursement for the charges incurred for using the dehumidifier. He stated that in November 2024 he had provided the landlord with a claims form however he had not heard back from it. He expressed frustration over the delays to the landlord. In recognition of the delays, the landlord offered £50 compensation to the residents and arranged payment.
On 25 May 2025 the representative requested to raise a new complaint with the landlord. He had stated the only works carried out to the property had been a mould wash and tanking on the exterior walls. He was unhappy it had been over 4 months and stated the bathroom had severe mould. The landlord responded, explaining it would not be able to raise a new complaint as this was considered under its stage two reply.
However the landlord then issued a further stage one response on 17 June 2025 to the representative about the delays. It apologised for the length of time which it had taken to carry out repairs and the inconvenience caused. In recognition of the impact to the residents it offered £50 for time and trouble, £75 for stress and inconvenience. It confirmed that the works had been carried out between 26 February 2025 and 27 May 2025. These included:
1. Tanking of external walls and internal plastering.
2. Repainting of ceilings and decoration of all rooms with anti-mould paint.
3. Replacement of the lounge radiator and installation of the disability chair.
4. Installation of a more powerful extractor fan in the bathroom.
5. Replacement of the kitchen fan and bathroom towel rail.
6. Comprehensive mould treatment of walls, ceilings, windows and door frames.
7. Installation of passive ventilation to improve airflow.
8. General surface repairs, skimming and finishing works.
During a call with the representative on 7 July 2025, he told us that some repairs were still outstanding. He confirmed the landlord had arranged a visit to attend on 10 July 2025 to see what works had not been completed. He expressed upset that the landlord had not followed through with promises stated in its formal response, to keep him updated and complete repairs. The representative was seeking:
1. Repairs to be completed.
2. The mould to be resolved. He said that the landlord did not identify the root cause, only visual repairs were completed.
3. Further compensation.
On 13 July 2025 the representative asked for the newer complaint to be escalated to stage two. He stated in its stage one the landlord said the mould works had been completed, however this was false. He confirmed its contractors are scheduled to attend on 14 August 2025 to complete the outstanding works. The representative was also still waiting for it to get in touch to book a post inspection. The representative was seeking for the outstanding works to be completed and the compensation to be increased to £250.

Assessment and findings

Scope of investigation.

We understand the residents expressed distress over the issues raised in this complaint, stating it has affected their health and wellbeing. Whilst we have noted this as context, we are unable to draw conclusions on the causation of, or liability for, impacts on health and wellbeing. This is because claims of personal injury must, ultimately, be decided by courts of law who can consider medical evidence and make legally binding findings. Nonetheless, consideration has been given to the general distress and inconvenience which the situation may have caused the residents.
We recognise the residents have been experiencing damp and mould since August 2023. While this has been noted as context, we have not considered events that occurred in 2023. The scope of this investigation has considered how the landlord dealt with the residents’ reports when it was notified of the ongoing issues in 2024 after repairs were completed.
While we have noted the newer complaint that was responded to at stage 1 on 17 June 2025. We need to give the landlord the opportunity to complete its internal complaints procedure, therefore it is not included within the scope of this investigation.

Damp, mould and associated repairs.

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 the landlord is responsible for repairs to the structure and exterior of the building. The residents’ tenancy agreement also stipulates this.
The landlord’s damp and mould policy states that it will:
1. Investigate reported issues and carry out necessary repairs.
2. Prevent damp through maintenance and improvements. For example, extractor fans, and insulation.
3. Only carry out practical and remedial works.
4. Diagnose root cause, not just symptoms.
5. Support and inform residents throughout the process.
6. Reassess unresolved problems and provide clear updates and timescales.
The landlord’s responsive repairs policy states standard repairs will be completed within 20 working days. Planned and packaged repairs will be completed within 90 working days.
When the resident reported damp and mould to the landlord in August 2023, it arranged for a damp and mould survey to be completed. We have not seen a copy of this report. However correspondence confirms this was carried out and the surveyor had recommended the landlord install new windows, which was completed in 2024.
We understand that despite works being carried out, the issue of damp and mould reoccurred within the property. The resident’s representative reported this to the landlord several times during October 2024 and had to chase for updates regarding the matter.
We acknowledge the landlord took appropriate steps in attempting to resolve the issue by carrying out the works specified by the survey of August 2023. As the issue reoccurred it was obliged to further investigate the matter. It is unfortunate the residents had to chase on several occasions before it arranged for a mould treatment in November 2024.
We would expect the landlord to respond promptly to residents’ concerns, particularly where there is a known history of recuring issues. Delays in addressing such matters can cause considerable distress and inconvenience to those affected. In this case the representative repeatedly expressed his frustration about the ongoing issues.
The recurrence of damp and mould, as well as the need for further treatment in November 2024, demonstrated that the underlying issue was not fully resolved. Therefore, it was appropriate that the landlord arranged a further inspection.
The operatives’ note from the inspection on 13 November 2024, stated that the vent did not work and both windows had no trickle vents which was causing a lot of condensation.
The damp and mould survey completed on 28 November 2024 confirmed that all the windows had been changed and previous mould washes had been carried out, however the property was still showing signed of damp and mould. It did not confirm what the cause of the damp and mould was, however recommendations were made to the landlord to:
1. Tanking of external walls, skim and repaint.
2. Further investigation to the render and damp proof course.
3. Decorate all rooms once completed with anti-mould.
4. Check passive vent in bedroom.
5. Install passive vent in lounge.
6. Change extractor fan in bathroom to a more powerful unit.
7. Repaint ceiling.
8. Change radiator and disability chair.
9. Paint exterior walls with storm dry.
The landlord arranged for these works to be completed. The repair records show on 12 December 2024 an operative attended to complete a treatment and to paint the ceilings and walls in the bathroom. In the landlord’s submission to us, it stated that outstanding works were completed 28 February 2025, however we have not seen records to reflect what work was carried out and when. Furthermore, this contradicts the later complaint in which the representative stated that works were still outstanding.
On 19 May 2025 the representative complained, stating that the only works that had been carried out were mould washes and tanking to the exterior. This was acknowledged by the landlord, it apologised for the delay and confirmed the recommended works were completed by 27 May 2025.
We are not satisfied the landlord took adequate and timely steps to resolve the residents’ recurrent issues of damp and mould within the property. Despite carrying out some works, there were repeated delays, and the representative was left to chase on several occasions. We find the landlord did not provide consistent communication and failed to act promptly when the issue reoccurred. This fell short of the standards set out in its damp and mould policy, particularly in regard to reassessing unresolved problems and supporting residents throughout the process. As a result, the residents experienced avoidable distress and inconvenience.
The representative sent the landlord an email on 13 July 2025, disputing that the required works to resolve the damp and mould had been completed. In particular he states the following was required:
1. Bedroom:
  1. Mould needs to be removed from ceiling and decorated.
  2. Skirting under radiator needs painting.
  3. Skirting around bedroom needs repainting.
2. Bathroom
  1. Mould needs to be removed from the mastic and grouting.
3. Living room
  1. Mould needs to be removed from ceiling and decorated.
  2. Skirting under radiator and behind sofa needs mould removed and decorating.
As we have not seen a record of repairs to confirm what exact works were carried out between February 2025 and May 2025, we cannot conclude that the landlord completed works in this period.
The concerns raised in July 2025 relate to issues which were previously raised by the resident in November 2024. Therefore, we are not satisfied the landlord appropriately resolved the matter. We understand the landlord had agreed to have its contractors attend on 14 August 2025. We find it is appropriate for a further inspection to take place, considering the representative states the ongoing issues have not been resolved, and there is evidence of continued damp and mould within the property.
In light of the service failures identified, we find it was appropriate the landlord consider its compensation policy. While we recognise it has provided compensation over two complaints. We have considered the total amount offered for the first complaint. The landlord provided the resident a total of £675 for its handling of the damp and mould.
The landlord’s compensation policy states where there has been extensive disruption and customer effort it awards between £350 to £750 and above. In this instance, we find the amount to be reasonable given the circumstances. The residents experienced disruption over a period of more than seven months, including repeated delays, unresolved damp and mould issues, and the need to chase the landlord on multiple occasions. In light of the prolonged inconvenience and failure to complete repairs as recommended, we find the amount fairly reflects the impact to the residents.
We understand the representative does not feel the landlord has identified the cause of the damp and mould. When there is a report of damp and mould, we would expect the landlord take proportionate steps to identify the cause of the issues and rectify the matter. In this instance, we see its operatives had actually stated the cause was related to condensation. We have not seen any evidence to suggest otherwise. We find the landlord appropriately arranged for surveys and inspections to be carried out. It also completed mould washes and carried out the remedial works recommended by its surveyor.
Nonetheless given the history and recurrent issue, we will be making a recommendation that following the scheduled appointment in August 2025, the landlord consider whether any further inspections, works, or compensation may be appropriate to fully resolve the matter.
In summary, we have found the landlord made a reasonable offer of redress given the service failures and the steps taken to address the issues raised by the representative.

Delay in reimbursing for the dehumidifier.

On 12 March 2024 an operative had left a dehumidifier at the residents’ property, this was to assist in managing the damp and mould in the property. This was used throughout April 2024. We see the representative had asked for this to be collected in October 2024.
The landlord’s compensation policy states that it will consider compensation for any known costs that the customer has reasonably incurred. Therefore, when the residents had informed the landlord of the costs incurred it was appropriate for it to consider this and reimburse.
In this instance the landlord had agreed to reimburse the residents £180,this was to reflect £6 per a day of usagefor electricity costs incurred using the dehumidifier. We see the representative chased the landlord between October 2024 to February 2025 for reimbursement. Despite him providing the landlord with a claim form on 11 November 2024, there was a delay in payment.
It is important that residents are not forced to chase landlords for reimbursement of cost they have incurred. This adds avoidable distress and inconvenience to residents. In this case the representative was frustrated on behalf of the residents by the manner in which the landlord handled this.
Prompted by the representatives’ request for the landlord to consider its compensation following this failure, we see it offered a further £50 compensation on top of the £180. We find it was appropriate that it considered its compensation policy. The landlord’s compensation policy states it awards between £50 to £100 for minor disruption and customer effort. In this case, the £50 offer is considered reasonable as it reflects the time and effort required by the representative chasing reimbursement.
With this in mind, while we recognise there was a failure in the landlord reimbursing the residents, which resulted in the representative to chase. It appropriately considered its compensation policy and awarded compensation in line with what we would have expected.

Complaint handling.

The landlord’s complaints policy states it will acknowledge a complaint within five working days and aims to provide a full response within 10 working days. If still unsatisfied the resident can request a review of the complaint. It will aim to provide a response with their decision within 20 working days. In cases where an extension is required for stage one it will allow a maximum of 10 working days and for stage two a maximum of 20 working days.
The representative raised a complaint on behalf of his parents on 28 August 2024. This was acknowledged on 4 November 2024, and the landlord provided a stage one response on 15 November 2024. In its stage one response it did not acknowledge its service failure with regard to the complaint handling. It did acknowledge poor communication, but this appears to be in reference to its response to the concerns being raised.
Its important that service failures are clearly acknowledged in responses, as this demonstrates accountability and that the landlord acknowledges where it has failed short of its expected standards. We are not satisfied this was done.
The representative asked for the complaint to be escalated to stage two on 19 November 2024, however this was not acknowledged in writing until 17 December 2024. The landlord provided a stage two response on 21 January 2025. During this period, we see the representative had chased the landlord for a response. In its formal response, the landlord acknowledged its delay in actioning the stage two request and offered £25 compensation.
While we find it was appropriate for the landlord to consider its compensation policy. This amount appears to be below its general compensation offers for minor disruptions and customer effort. The compensation policy states for this it usually awards between £50 – £100. We are not satisfied the amount offered reflects the distress and inconvenience caused to the residents.
Considering the above, the landlord failed to adhere to its complaints policy for stage one and stage two. While we recognise it took steps to address this at stage two, we have found there was a service failure in the landlord’s complaint handling. In line with the landlord’s policy and our remedies guidance we will order the landlord to make a further compensation payment.

Determination

In accordance with paragraph 53.b of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord made an offer of reasonable redress in respect of the complaint about the residents’ reports of damp, mould, and associated repairs.
In accordance with paragraph 53.b of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord made an offer of reasonable redress in respect of the complaint about its delay in reimbursing for the dehumidifier.
In accordance with paragraph 52 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, there was service failure by the landlord in its complaint handling.

Orders and Recommendations

Orders.

The landlord to pay the resident £100 compensation for its delays in responding to the residents’ complaint in a timely manner. This is in recognition of the distress and inconvenience caused to the residents. The amount is in addition to the £25 already offered.

Recommendations.

Following the 14 August 2025 visit, the landlord should consider whether any further inspections, works, or compensation may be appropriate to fully resolve the matter.
For any future damp and mould issues, the landlord should ensure it thoroughly investigates and resolves the root cause. Surveyor recommendation should be tracked and implemented with evidence of completion in a timely manner.