London & Quadrant Housing Trust (202336258)

Background

1. The resident lives with her daughter who has a health condition. The resident’s daughter needs access to her own toilet. Between November 2022 and January 2023 the resident told the landlord that the downstairs toilet kept blocking. A contractor determined this was due to the type of pipework used. The landlord changed the toilet pipework in March 2023, which stopped the blockages. It offered the resident £175 compensation. The resident was dissatisfied with the compensation offered in light of the time taken to resolve the issue.

What the complaint is about

2. The complaint is about the landlord’s response to the resident’s reports of a toilet repeatedly blocking.

Our decision (determination)

3. The complaint was resolved with our intervention.

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

Reasons

4. At the end of the complaints process, the landlord changed the toilet pipework to stop it blocking and offered the resident £175 compensation.
5. We contacted the landlord and provided it with a summary of our understanding of events. This included some comments on areas that could have been handled better and what the landlord could do to resolve the resident’s complaint. This included delays changing the pipework to prevent blockages reoccurring and the effect on the resident in light of the household vulnerabilities.
6. Following our intervention, the landlord offered to pay the resident a further £425 compensation. This took its total offer of compensation for this issue to £600. Both parties agreed to this as a resolution to the complaint.
7. We are therefore satisfied that, following our intervention, the landlord has agreed to take actions to remedy the matters. Subject to the landlord paying the compensation, we are satisfied the complaint will be resolved satisfactorily.

Putting things right

Recommendations

The complaint has been resolved with intervention on the basis the landlord follows our recommendation.