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Amplius Living (202445868)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202445868

Amplius Living

30 August 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 several repairs reported by the resident, including those to her doors and windows.

Background

  1. The resident has an assured tenancy with the landlord. She lives in her property with her partner and child (aged under 5). She said her partner and child are disabled.
  2. In July 2024 the resident contacted the landlord to say her doors and windows needed repairing as draughts were coming from them. She said she reported some of these issues when she moved into the property in 2022.
  3. On 21 January 2025 the resident complained to the landlord. She said most of the repairs she reported were outstanding, which included those to the doors and windows. The landlord responded on 27 January. It agreed its service had failed and offered her £75 compensation. It agreed to do the works on 21 February 2025.
  4. The resident escalated her complaint on 28 January 2025. She was unhappy that her repairs were still not done and about the amount of compensation the landlord had offered. She asked the landlord to confirm when it would complete the works and to explain why the delays had happened. She asked it to increase its compensation offer to reflect “the stress and frustration” she said the issues caused her.
  5. The landlord sent its final response on 30 January 2025. It acknowledged the delays and increased its compensation amount to £425. It said it intended to complete the works during her next appointment on 21 February. This also included works to a handrail. However, it said it would be unable to repair her outside light on this date as this required more investigation.
  6. The resident asked us to investigate. She said she was unhappy with the standard of some of the works, including to the silicone around the windows and doors. She raised new issues with her garden, which did not form part of her original complaint. She said some repairs remained outstanding and she wanted the landlord to complete them. She does not think it reflected the inconvenience the issues had caused her.
  7. The landlord said it did most of the works on 15 April 2025 and the remaining repair (to the front door handle) was completed on 9 May 2025.

Assessment and findings

Scope of the investigation

  1. The resident raised concerns about the impact the issues may have had on hers and her family’s health. We are unable to assess the cause of, or liability for, impacts on health and wellbeing. The resident may be able to make a personal injury claim if she thinks that her health has been affected by the landlord’s actions or inaction. This is a legal process, and the resident may wish to seek legal advice if she wants to pursue this option. It will not be considered in this report.
  2. The resident raised concerns about issues that did not form part of her formal complaint. They include outstanding repairs to all of her window seals (inside the frames) and to her garden. She also complained about the standard of the completed repair works, and about items allegedly being damaged. We advised the resident to raise these as a separate complaint if she is dissatisfied with the landlord’s handling of them. This is because the landlord needs to be given an opportunity to investigate and respond to any reported dissatisfaction with its actions prior to our involvement.
  3. The resident reported issues dating back to 2022. This report will centre on the landlord’s handling of repair issues in the months leading up to the resident’s complaint and its response to these issues.

The landlord’s handling of several repairs reported by the resident, including those to her doors and windows

  1. The landlord surveyed the property on 24 July 2024 and listed repairs as follows:
    1. Renew the sealant around the bath and windows (in the front room, kitchen, rear bedroom and front bedroom).
    2. Repair the locking mechanisms and seals to the front and back doors.
    3. Replace and test the safety of a kitchen socket.
    4. Repair a landing window.
    5. Repair an outside light.
    6. Check whether there was sufficient insulation in the loft.
  2. In this case the landlord did not complete these repairs within its policy timescale of 21 calendar days. When the resident chased the landlord on 10 October 2024 the landlord realised its service had failed as it had not scheduled in the repairs. On 19 November (almost 4 months after its inspection) it repaired the resident’s kitchen plug socket. It replaced the outside light in December 2024. However, it cancelled the remaining works due to the resident’s alleged behaviour towards its contractors.
  3. The landlord’s actions were reasonable when it said it called the resident on 23 December 2024 to discuss the allegation about her behaviour. Despite this conversation, the landlord did not reschedule in the repairs which represents a further failure. It next attended her property on 21 January 2025, to repair a handrail. However, the resident told the contractor not to enter due to her partner’s health problems. When the resident complained the same day, the landlord failed to rebook this repair, or the other ones it had previously cancelled.
  4. Following the formal complaint, the landlord completed some of the repairs (bath sealant, window sealant in the front room, kitchen and bathroom) on 21 January 2025. However, the resident told the landlord it had not completed all of the repairs she raised, such as works to the front door. It was therefore reasonable that the landlord inspected the property again on 20 March 2025. It found new repair issues, and listed repairs that were incomplete since it last inspected in July 2025. They included works to the loft insulation and landing window.
  5. The landlord completed the majority of the outstanding repairs on 15 April 2025 (including the back door sealant, landing window, front bedroom sealant and loft insulation). It said it fixed the front door on 9 May 2025. As this was over 9 months since the resident had reported the issue, this was a significant delay.
  6. It is evident this situation has been distressing for the resident. Such as in January 2025 when she raised concerns about feeling unsafe in her home due to having problems with locking her front door. In March 2025 she said she was worried that her family would not be able to get out easily in the event of a fire. She spent a lot of time and trouble chasing the repairs. This included on 15 April 2025 when the landlord recorded her saying she had been “messed about time and time again”.
  7. The landlord acknowledged its failures and apologised in its complaint responses. Its further delay in completing the repairs following its complaint response left the complaint unremedied. The landlord told the resident it would review its compensation offer if there were further delays. There is no evidence it considered this, despite the further delays. The level of compensation the landlord offered was disproportionately low when considered against its policy and our remedies guidance for a complaint in these circumstances where a resident was likely caused unnecessary levels of distress, inconvenience, and frustration.
  8. The landlord’s compensation policy says it will compensate residents on a discretionary basis where residents have incurred “time, trouble and inconvenience”. It says where there has been a ‘high impact’ it will award up to £800. It defines these types of cases as those where there has been “Excessive delays to works being carried out or issues being resolved”. Considering that the repairs remained outstanding from July 2024 to April 2025 – it would be fair for the compensation should be increased by £250. As the resident has complained about poor workmanship, we have also asked the landlord to inspect.

Determination

  1. In accordance with paragraph 52 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, there was maladministration in the landlord’s handling of several repairs reported by the resident, including those to her doors and windows.

Order

  1. Within 4 weeks from the date of this report the landlord must pay additional compensation of £250 (£675 in total)to the resident in recognition of the failings identified in this report. The landlord must provide us with documentary evidence confirming it has made this payment within 4 weeks of this report.
  2. The landlord must, within 4 weeks of the date of this report, inspect the work it has completed and decide if it has been completed to a satisfactory standard. The landlord must ensure the inspection is completed by someone not involved in the repairs. Any make good or snagging works must be started within 2 weeks of the inspection date. The landlord must provide evidence of its inspection and that it has started works within 8 weeks of the date of this report.