Metropolitan Housing Trust Limited (202004494)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202004494

Metropolitan Housing Trust Limited

19 March 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 complaint is about the length of time it took to pay compensation to the resident consequent to a complaint about a lack of grounds maintenance.

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. On 11 June 2019, the resident complained to the landlord about a lack of grounds maintenance and requested a refund of the charges paid for gardening under their service charge between 2017 and 2019. The resident also requested compensation for having to cut the grass themself. 
  2. The landlord issued its final response to the complaint on 20 April 2020. It explained that grass cutting for individual front lawns was previously carried out as a gesture of goodwill and was not included as part of the service charge. The landlord explained that it would not reimburse the resident for this. However, it offered £400 compensation in consideration of poor complaint handling.
  3. The resident brought their complaint to this Service on 17 August 2020. We contacted them to discuss their complaint on 6 January 2021. They explained that the landlord had paid the £400 compensation in December 2020. However, they remained dissatisfied that it took the landlord eight months to make the payment. The resident agreed to take part in our mediation process and to resolve the complaint, the resident wanted the landlord to:
  4. Pay an additional £200 to £250 compensation in respect of distress and inconvenience suffered from having to chase the landlord for compensation, for eight months, consequent to the final response.
  5. On 12 January 2021, we contacted the landlord with the resolution proposed by the resident.
  6. On 15 January 2021, the landlord responded to us. It explained that it had contacted the resident to apologise and arrange payment for the additional £250 compensation they had requested. The landlord also provided a copy of its email to the resident of 15 January 2021 in which it confirmed that the additional compensation would be paid by 29 January 2021.
  7. On 8 March 2021, we contacted the resident to confirm whether the additional £250 compensation had been paid, and that the complaint had now been resolved. They confirmed that they had received the £250 compensation and considered the complaint resolved.
  8. Paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that:
  9. “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’.”
  10. 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.