Metropolitan Housing Trust Limited (202000692)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202000692

Metropolitan Housing Trust Limited

5 February 2021


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 landlord’s response to the resident’s request for maintenance and cyclical works at the property.

Determination (decision)

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

How the complaint was resolved

  1. The resident is a leaseholder of their property.
  2. The resident reports that cyclical decorating has not been carried out since 2007.
  3. They report that they had raised their concerns with the landlord on a few occasions since 2017. A formal complaint was raised in November 2019 about the landlord’s lack of communication, works related to cyclical decoration and maintenance of the communal area, including replacement of the main front door and renewal of window frames.
  4. In its final response of 26 August 2020, the landlord apologised for the communication and the complaint handling and awarded a compensation of £50.00. In relation to the works, the landlord stated that it had planned to complete the cyclical decoration later in the year. It further confirmed that the windows, brickworks and the communal main door/frame would be included in the works programme.
  5. The resident brought the complaint to this Service on 24 November 2020. They explained that in an email of 08 July 2020, the landlord informed them about a works commencement date set for 24 October 2020, however, work had not yet started.
  6. The resident explained that the outcome they were seeking from the complaint was:
  • The landlord to provide a schedule of works with timescales for completion

The landlord to provide an explanation which details the process it followed prior to commissioning the works.

  1. This Service forwarded the mediation offer to the landlord on 07 January 2021.
  2. On 21 January 2021, the landlord provided to this Service evidence that it had contacted the resident directly with the requested outcome in the mediation offer.
  3. On 28 January 202, the resident confirmed the above to be a satisfactory outcome of their complaint.
  4. Useful to include… 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’.”
  5. I am 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.

Recommendations

  1. The landlord to compete the works as set out in the work schedule.
  2. In case of any changes to the work schedule, regular updates to be provided to the resident.
  3. The Ombudsman would like to thank the parties for participating in our mediation process. This case is now closed.