Jigsaw Homes Group Limited (202332619)

Decision
Case ID	202332619
Decision type	Investigation
Landlord	Jigsaw Homes Group Limited
Landlord type	Housing Association
Occupancy	Assured Tenancy
Date	17 December 2025

Background

The resident lives in the property with his partner and 4 children. He reported a leak from the roof as well as damp and mould. The resident also reported that he suffered financial loss through disposing of personal belongings affected by the damp and mould in his property.

What the complaint is about

The landlord’s handling of the reports of damp and mould, a roof leak, and damages to personal belongings.
We have also investigated the landlords complaint handling.

Our decision (determination)

There was maladministration in the landlord’s handling of the reports of damp and mould, a roof leak, and damages to personal belongings.
There was no maladministration in the landlord’s complaint handling.

We have made orders for the landlord to put things right.

Summary of reasons

The landlord’s handling of the reports of damp and mould, a roof leak, and damages to personal belongings

The landlord did not act in line with its policy to manage repairs and support the resident. It failed to take timely and effective steps to resolve reported issues, did not maintain clear records of its actions, and it failed to consider the resident’s vulnerabilities and living conditions when planning its response.

Complaint handling

The landlord handled its responses at both stages of the complaint process appropriately and within the required timescales.

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.

Order	What the landlord must do	Due date
1	Apology order The landlord must apologise in writing to the resident for the failures identified in this report. The landlord must ensure: the apology is specific to the failures identified in this decision, meaningful and empathetic it has due regard to our apologies guidance.	No later than 14 January 2026
2	Compensation order The landlord must pay the resident £250 made up as follows: £250 for the distress and inconvenience caused by its handling of the reports of damp and mould, a roof leak, and damages to personal belongings. This must be paid directly to the resident by the due date. The landlord must provide documentary evidence of payment by the due date.	No later than 14 January 2026
3	Starting the works The landlord must take all steps to ensure the damp and mould repairs are started no later than the due date. If the landlord cannot start the works in this time, it must explain to us and the resident, by the due date: why it cannot start the works by the due date and provide evidence to support its reasons. It must provide a revised timescale of when it will start and finish the works; or the steps it has taken to start the works and provide us with documentary evidence of its attempts to ensure the works were started by the due date. It must provide a revised timescale if it is able to or explain why it cannot.	No later than 14 January 2026
4	Information order The landlord must contact the resident to ask if they would like help in making a claim for damage to their belongings via the landlord’s liability insurance. It must provide clear guidance on how to pursue the claim, including sharing all relevant insurance details and the process.	No later than 14 January 2026
5	Other The landlord should contact the resident to discuss the range of support it can provide, taking into account the resident’s circumstances. This support may include exploring rehousing as one option, alongside any other measures available under its policies. If required, the landlord should assist the resident with relevant applications and clearly explain its current position on transfer requests.	No later than 14 January 2026

Recommendations

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

Our recommendations
The landlord should consider reviewing its initial response to reports of damp and mould to ensure it avoids automatically apportioning blame or using language that allows residents feeling blamed.
We also recommend that the landlord contact the resident to request an update on any health conditions or vulnerabilities in the household, so that (with his consent) it can update its records accordingly.

Our investigation

The complaint procedure

Date	What happened
3 November 2023	The resident complained to his landlord and, in summary, said: the landlord arranged roof works, and contractors found the roof in poor condition with missing tiles and no felt during the works, the contractor removed the solar panels without warning and left holes exposed heavy rainfall hit while the roof was exposed, and water entered the property rainwater ran down the walls and through the attic hatch; his partner contacted the landlord, but it did not act promptly although the landlord repaired the roof, the resident reported significant loss including: damages and removal of 50 bags of clothing because of mould damages to carpets because of the roof leak
10 November 2023	The landlord acknowledged the resident’s complaint and said it would provide its stage 1 response within 10 working days.
15 November 2023	The landlord issued its stage 1 complaint response and summarised the resident’s repair history to explain its decision: it reviewed reports of damp and mould from January 2023 and roof issues later in the year it said that an inspection in February 2023 found condensation, not a leak, and the inspection did not identify guttering or roof repairs it said it raised mould treatment in April 2023 but cancelled it after the contractor could not gain access despite several attempts it said it completed the roof works in October 2023 after delays caused by access problems based on this review, the landlord concluded: there were no failings in its handling of damp, mould, or roof repairs it acknowledged a delay in mould works but said it made enough attempts to contact the resident it advised the resident to claim for damaged items through his home contents insurance and apologised for any inconvenience
15 November 2023	The resident contacted his landlord and, in summary: he expressed frustration that his family, including young children, had to live with exposed holes in the roof for over a week during bad weather he said the roof had no felt, only tiles on wood, and rain entered the property, causing plaster to crack as it became saturated and dried he warned that the ceiling might collapse he wanted to give the landlord a chance to resolve the matter
14 December 2023	The landlord issued its stage 2 complaint response and, in summary: it confirmed satisfaction that the stage 1 response gave an accurate account of the repair history it explained that leaving solar panel brackets in place before stripping the roof was standard practice, as removing them earlier would damage tiles but not to the extent shown in the resident’s photos it said contractors would not normally leave large areas of a roof exposed for long periods and noted the resident’s photo was taken on a day the contractor was working on the roof it found no failings in its handling of the damp report or roof replacement it acknowledged the resident’s claim of disposing of 50 bags of clothing damaged by damp but said responsibility for belongings lies with the tenant it stated liability would only apply if damage was a direct result of the landlord’s actions; otherwise, claims should go through home contents insurance it noted records showing the resident had worked with the landlord and external agencies to address conditions inside the home, including removing a large number of bags it said there was no evidence that rubbish accumulation was due to outstanding repairs it expressed understanding of the resident’s disappointment but confirmed it could not accept liability for any loss or damage in response to concerns about plaster cracking, it arranged for its repairs team to inspect and assured the resident that any necessary repairs would be carried out
Referral to the Ombudsman	The resident brought his complaint to us and, in summary: said to us that the landlord ignored repeated reports of damp and mould, then left roof exposed for a week after removing solar panels, causing severe water damage to ceilings, carpets, and belongings as a resolution, the resident wants: replacement of carpets in the children’s bedroom and on the stairs (including new carpets ruined after the roof was fixed but continued leaking) compensation for money spent on heating to dry out the property and for heat loss through roof holes.

What we found and why

The circumstances of this complaint are well known by the parties involved, so it is not necessary to detail everything that’s happened or comment on all the information we’ve reviewed. We’ve only included the key information that forms the basis of our decision of whether the landlord is responsible for maladministration.

Complaint	The landlord’s handling of the reports of damp and mould, a roof leak and damages to personal belongings.
Finding	Maladministration

What we have not looked at

This investigation covers the resident’s reports of damp, mould, and a leak from 23 January 2023 to the landlord’s final complaint response on 14 December 2023. While there may be ongoing issues, it is unclear if these were raised further with the landlord. We cannot consider matters outside the landlord’s complaints process. However, where the landlord has made commitments as part of its complaint response on 14 December 2023, we will consider subsequent events to establish whether the landlord has put things right.
The resident also informed us that he would like compensation for extra heating costs to dry the home and for heat loss through holes in the roof. We cannot see that he mentioned this to his landlord at the time of his complaint. The landlord has not investigated or responded to this, so we are unable to consider this as part of our investigation.

What we have looked at

On 20 March 2019, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 came into force. The Act ensures that landlords keep rented homes fit for human habitation. It requires landlords to make sure their properties are safe, healthy, and free from things that could cause serious harm. As the resident’s complaint concerned mould, the landlord had an obligation to investigate and make good any issues identified in a timely manner.
The landlord also has duties under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 which says landlords must maintain the structure and exterior of the property.
The landlord’s responsive repair procedure works on priority and urgency. It uses 4 categories: emergency repairs within 24 hours, urgent repairs within 5 working days, routine repairs within 15 working days, and non-routine repairs within 90 working days. Urgent repairs cover problems that cause discomfort or inconvenience and could get worse if left alone, such as roof leaks where water keeps entering the home.
The landlord’s repair procedure also says, routine repairs include minor issues that do not pose an immediate risk, like small plaster repairs, mould washes, or fixing broken roof tiles when no leak is present.
It says, non-routine repairs that involve bigger jobs that need more time, special materials, or contractors, such as major roof work with scaffolding or damp prevention treatments. If an emergency, urgent, or routine repair turns into a non-routine job, the landlord will send resident a text or letter with the new timescale. The goal is to complete non-routine repairs within 90 working days of the first report.

Damp and mould

On 23 January 2023, the resident reported damp and mould in the bedrooms. The landlord attended on 10 February 2023, 14 working days later.
The surveyor recorded condensation-related mould in a cold, overcrowded 2-bedroom home, with many household items stored in the front bedroom, landing, and hall, and high humidity. The report recommended treating the mould in affected areas.
The landlord’s Damp and Mould Policy say that overcrowded homes raise humidity and increase the risk of condensation. When this happens, it will work with residents to find solutions, which may include moving them to a more suitable home if one was available and appropriate. There is no evidence to suggest the landlord worked with the resident to explore such options in this case.
Following the inspection, the landlord raised a work order for a mould treatment in the front bedroom. It raised the work on the same day but later cancelled it. It raised the same work order again on 6 April, 24 April, and 21 May 2023, but each time it cancelled the repair. The landlord tried to contact the resident in April and May 2023 to book the damp treatment.
On 25 July 2023, during a visit for a separate matter, the landlord noted cluttered conditions likely contributing to damp and mould and referred it to its the damp and mould team who said it was already aware. During this visit, the landlord also identified that the resident was vulnerable due to health issues.
Its Damp and Mould Policy says when the landlord identifies a severe or recurring damp or mould issue, it would undertake a comprehensive assessment which might result in a range of actions to support the resident depending on their circumstances. There is no evidence that the landlord undertook an assessment following this visit.
In its stage 1 response dated 15 November 2023, the landlord explained that the cancellations were due to unsuccessful attempts to contact the resident. It also advised the resident to get in touch if the mould in the bedroom remained an issue. However, the complaint process was an opportunity for the landlord to take ownership and make things right. Given that it was aware of the resident’s health vulnerabilities as of July 2023, it would have been reasonable for the landlord to proactively raise and arrange the mould treatment rather than place the responsibility on the resident to contact it. This was a failure to consider his vulnerabilities in relation to the outstanding repairs and reports of damp and mould.
In its stage 2 response, the landlord addressed the resident’s concern about cracks in the ceiling. It committed to sending its repairs team, and it followed through by raising a work order on 20 December 2023.
We understand that the landlord made 3 unsuccessful attempts to carry out internal inspections before eventually gaining access for an expert surveyor to inspect the property. It was then unable to gain access to complete the works, which led to an injunction requested and granted by the court. It attended on 8 December 2025 to obtain pricing and will issue a further appointment letter to commence the works.

Roof leak

On 23 January 2023, the resident reported a roof leak, describing “leak and condensation” as damp was visible in the front bedroom. The landlord later cancelled the repair. In its stage 1 response on 15 November 2023, the landlord said its damp and mould inspection on 10 February 2023 did not identify any roof or guttering repairs. However, it is unclear how the landlord reached this conclusion.
On 27 June 2023, the landlord raised a repair for overflowing guttering. It attended on 28 June 2023 and cleaned the front gutter. The landlord completed this repair in line with its policy. There were no failings in this instance.
On 6 October 2023, the landlord raised a roof repair. It attended on 11 October 2023, within its policy timescale, to carry out works to replace some tiles near the solar panels. During this visit, the landlord identified that the leak was also coming from around a roof vent beneath the solar panels, requiring scaffolding and removal of the panels to access and replace broken tiles.
The landlord raised further works on 18 October 2023 and erected scaffolding on 19 and 20 October 2023. Despite obstructions on site, scaffolding was installed successfully. This was reasonable and in line with its procedure for non-routine works.
On 24 October 2023, the resident reported a leak from the downpipe or gutter, saying water was “like a waterfall down the house.” There is no evidence that the landlord took any immediate action, such as inspecting the issue. Under its repair procedure, this should have been treated as an emergency repair, which requires attendance within 24 hours and, where needed, steps to make the situation safe and secure. As there are no records of what action was taken or any communication with the resident, we are unable to confirm whether the landlord met its obligations. This lack of evidence is a failing and suggests the landlord did not follow its repair procedure, which requires timely action and clear updates when new problems arise.
The landlord attended on 26 October 2023 and completed the roof works. While the landlord completed this repair within it timescales for non-routine works, its overall handling of roof-related reports was poor and a failing.
Regarding the resident’s request for compensation for damages to his personal belongings, the landlords stage 1 response of 15 November 2023 advised the resident to make a claim via his home content insurance which was in line with its Compensation policy. Its stage 2 response concluded that it was unable to accept liability for any loss or damage to his belongings.

Damages to personal belongings

The resident said they lost about 50 bags of clothing to mould and removed upstairs carpets due to water damage, asking for new carpets in the children’s bedroom and on the stairs. We do not usually order the landlord to reimburse residents for damaged belongings, as determining liability for such items is outside our role. Liability is normally addressed through insurance claims or the courts; instead, we consider whether the landlord followed its policies and procedures.
However, it would have been appropriate for the landlord to signpost the resident to its insurance team, as the resident had made clear that he believed damp and mould contributed to the damage. The landlord’s failure to provide this signposting was a failing and not fair or reasonable in this circumstance.
Overall, there were a series of significant failings by the landlord which accumulated over a prolonged period, which had a serious impact on the resident, particularly given his health vulnerabilities. The landlord placed the burden on the resident to chase repairs and updates instead of taking proactive steps, leaving him exposed to damp and mould for an extended time. This did not demonstrate a zero-tolerance approach to damp and mould. This caused unnecessary distress and inconvenience and failed to take account of his circumstances. Poor communication and record keeping further contributed to delays and uncertainty.
The landlord’s complaint process was an opportunity to put things right in line with the Ombudsman’s Dispute Resolution Principles. It should have taken ownership and acted differently, recognising that there is no “one size fits all” approach and that the resident’s vulnerabilities required a tailored response. We understand there were circumstances outside the landlord’s control. However, it still needed to manage the situation effectively and avoid repeating earlier failings. Instead, it repeated those failings, compounding the distress and inconvenience caused. Taken together, these failings amount to maladministration. An order has been made for the landlord to pay £250 compensation to the resident, in line with our remedies guidance for failings that caused distress and inconvenience over a prolonged period.

Complaint	The handling of the complaint
Finding	No maladministration

The Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code (the Code) sets out when and how a landlord should respond to complaints. The relevant Code in this case was the 2022 edition (April 2022).
The landlord has a published complaint policy which complies with the terms of the Code in respect of timescales.
The landlord acknowledged the complaint on 10 November 2023, 5 working days later and issued its stage 1 response on 15 November 2023, 3 working days from the acknowledgement. In line with the Code and its policy, the landlord had 5 working days to acknowledge the complaint, and 10 working days to respond to the complaint (up to 15 working days). The landlord’s response was in line with the Code.
The resident escalated his complaint on 15 November 2023, and the landlord issued its stage 2 response on 14 December 2023, 21 working days later. In line with the Code, landlord had 5 working days to acknowledge the complaint and 20 working days to respond to the complaint (up to 25 working days). Although we do not have evidence that it acknowledged the complaint, the landlord’s response was in line with the Code.

Learning

The landlord failed to adequately address the damp, and mould in this case. It should consider reviewing how effectively its policies are implemented in practice to ensure they achieve the intended outcomes.

Knowledge information management (record keeping)

Poor record keeping contributed to the failings in the landlord’s response to damp and mould. Accurate records are essential to show what actions a landlord and its contractors have taken. When records are incomplete, it suggests the landlord’s repair processes are not working effectively. This can lead to unreasonable delays and negatively affect the service residents receive. If it has not done so recently, the landlord should review how it records information to prevent similar failures in future.
The landlord referred to instances of “no access “and no contact to book appointments at the property. The landlord may want to review its record-keeping systems to ensure it has a procedure in place to document and evidence when it has been unable to gain access for an agreed inspection or repair.

Communication

The landlord may want to consider how it communicates with residents during its repair and complaints process. Our spotlight report on attitudes, respect and rights highlights the importance of empathy and use of tone to support positive communication with its residents. The landlord may wish to review this report if it has not done so recently.