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Hammersmith and Fulham Council (202204059)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202204059

Hammersmith and Fulham Council

17 August 2022


Our approach

Under our early resolution process, the Ombudsman works with the resident and landlord to explore the issues in dispute, identify the matters that remain outstanding and assist in reaching an agreed settlement.

The complaint

  1. The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of roof repairs.

Determination (decision)

  1. In accordance with paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord has made an offer of redress, following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. The resident advises that they made their formal complaint to the landlord about its handling of roof repairs in April 2021.
  2. The landlord issued its final response to the complaint on 4 April 2022, addressed the length of time it took to complete the roof repair, acknowledged communication and complaint handling issues, apologised for its failings, and offered the resident £650.00 compensation.
  3. The resident brought their complaint to the Ombudsman in May 2022 and on 2 August 2022 advised this Service that the outstanding issue is for the landlord to pay the £650.00 compensation it awarded on 4 April 2022. The resident further advised us that the matter shall be resolved to their satisfaction if the landlord explains the reason and apologises for the delay in paying this compensation and makes the payment.
  4. This Service formally accepted the resident’s complaint on 30 May 2022 and contacted the landlord on 2 August 2022 to enquire if wishes to take part in the Ombudsman’s mediation process and if it agreed with the resident’s proposal outlined above.
  5. The landlord responded on 12 August 2022 and advised this Service that it is “happy to enter into the proposed mediation arrangement”

Reasons

  1. Paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that:
    1. “At any time, the Ombudsman may determine the investigation of a complaint immediately if satisfied that the member has made an offer of redress following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily. This will result in a finding of ‘resolved with intervention’.”
  2. The landlord states that that it is “happy to enter into the proposed mediation arrangement” and that it shall process the compensation payment.
  3. The resident has advised this Service that the matter shall be resolved to their satisfaction if the landlord explains the reason and apologises for the delay in paying the £650.00 compensation and makes the payment.
  4. The above finding of reasonable redress, therefore, is dependent on the landlord completing the action recommended below.
  5. I am therefore satisfied that the landlord is taking action to remedy the matters raised which resolve the complaint satisfactorily.

Order

  1. The landlord should arrange payment of the £650.00 compensation to the resident within four weeks of the date of this determination and provide confirmation of payment to this Service.
  2. That the landlord should within four weeks of the date of this determination explain the reasons and apologises for the delay in paying the £650.00 compensation. The landlord should provide this Service a copy.