Read our damp and mould report focusing on Awaab's Law

London Borough of Croydon (202408427)

Back to Top

 

REPORT

COMPLAINT 202408427

London Borough of Croydon

29 July 2025

 

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:
    1. Handling of the resident’s reports of uncapped gas at the property, and subsequent remedial repairs.
    2. Complaints handling.

Background

  1. The resident has a secure tenancy for a 2-bedroom flat which began in April 2024. The flat is owned and managed by the landlord.
  2. The resident contacted the landlord’s contractor on 26 March 2024 to arrange for the gas to be uncapped before she moved into the property. The landlord was unable to uncap the gas before the tenancy started because the gas meter was detached from the wall and the pipe was buckled. The landlord booked a repair for 2 April 2024, but the operative did not arrive.
  3. On 3 April 2024 the resident complained to the landlord that there had been no gas supply since she and her child had moved into the property. She wanted the gas to be uncapped as soon as possible and to be compensated for the lack of services and missed appointment. The resident contacted this Service on 22 May 2024 because she had not received a response to her complaint and continued to live in the property without heating, hot water or cooking facilities.
  4. The landlord sent its stage 1 response on 10 June 2024. It summarised that 11 appointments had been made with the resident in total to repair the gas installations. On 5 June 2024 the gas supply to the property had been resolved. The landlord offered the resident £250 in compensation.
  5. The next day the resident responded that she remained without cooking facilities because of a repair that was required before she could install a gas oven. The resident also asked the landlord why it was not offering her £6 per day in compensation as stated in its repair policy.
  6. The landlord sent its stage 2 response on 30 October 2024. It apologised to the resident for the service that she had experienced and offered increased compensation of £2,350. The resident contacted the landlord the same day and asked it for further compensation for complaint handling delays and for not being able to install a cooker for 8 weeks because of a delayed repair. The landlord responded by advising the resident that it was not aware of her complaint about a repair to install an oven.
  7. In bringing the complaint to this Service, the resident was seeking further compensation for being without a gas supply for 10 weeks, without cooking facilities for a further 8 weeks, and for the landlord’s complaint handling.

Determination (decision)

  1. In accordance with paragraph 53.c. of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the resident’s complaints have been resolved with intervention.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. Paragraph 53 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that:
    1. “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”
  2. The resident told us all repairs and works had since been completed. She told us that she was looking for an increase in the amount of compensation offered to her for the lack of gas to the property for 10 weeks. She was also looking for the landlord to compensate her for not being able to install an oven for 8 weeks, and for its complaint handling.
  3. We contacted the landlord and provided it with a summary of our understanding of the events. We explained the resident was seeking an increase in the offer of compensation.
  4. The landlord told us it would like to offer the resident £3,610 compensation in total. This included the amount offered within the landlord’s complaint process, which had not yet been paid to the resident.
  5. The resident has informed the Ombudsman that she is satisfied with this as a resolution to her complaint.
  6. The Ombudsman is therefore satisfied, following the intervention of this Service, that the landlord has now taken actions to remedy the matters raised which resolve the complaint satisfactorily.

Recommendation

  1. The landlord should now pay the resident £3,610 compensation within 4 weeks of the date of this decision. It should provide us with evidence that it has paid this.