Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTV) (202402825)

Decision
Case ID	202402825
Decision type	Investigation
Landlord	Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTV)
Landlord type	Housing Association
Occupancy	Assured Tenancy
Date	29 April 2026

 

Background

1. The resident complained to the landlord about ongoing pests in her loft, which she said were entering through a hole in the roof that she had previously reported.

 

What the complaint is about

2. The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the residents:
   1. Reports of pests and repairs.
   2. Complaint.

 

Our decision (determination)

3. We found:
   1. No maladministration in the landlord’s handling of the residents reports of pests.
   2. Service failure in the landlord’s complaint handling.

 

Summary of reasons

Reports of pests and repairs

4. The landlord responded to the pest issue and completed the agreed actions within appropriate timescales and in line with its policy.

Complaint handling

5. The landlord’s complaint responses lacked clear and detailed explanations of its findings, decisions, and actions on pest control.

 

Our investigation

The complaint procedure

Date	What happened
17 April 2023	The resident complained to the landlord that pests (squirrels) were entering her loft through holes she had previously advised the landlord of. She asked the landlord to resolve the issue.
10 May 2023	The landlord responded and said it would carry out an inspection in May 2023 and raise any repairs identified as needed. It explained the resident’s previous report of the issue was in a stock condition survey rather than a repair report. It explained how such matters needed to be reported so it could respond to them appropriately. It apologised for the misunderstanding and offered £30 compensation.
16 October 2023	The resident escalated her complaint. She said the roof works the landlord had done had not resolved the pest problem and that pests had returned.
9 November 2023	In its stage 2 response, the landlord said it had completed an inspection and raised works to repair the roof at the identified ingress point. It also said it had arranged electrical safety works following pest damage to wiring identified in November 2023. It apologised and offered a further £30 compensation for the need for follow on works.
Referral to the Ombudsman	The resident referred the complaint to us. She said the pest infestation began in August 2021 and was resolved in late 2024, but damage caused by the pests remained outstanding. She asked the landlord to complete the necessary repairs and increase its compensation.

 

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	Reports of pests and repairs
Finding	Reasonable redress

What we have not investigated

6. Our scheme rules state we may not investigate complaints which were not referred to the landlord as a complaint within a reasonable time, which is normally 12 months. The resident has stated she was aware of the pest issues from around August 2021. However, there is no evidence she raised a complaint promptly and in any event within 12 months of when she became aware of the issue.
7. For those reasons, we have limited our investigation to events in the period leading up to the complaint made in April 2023 and through to the landlord’s final response in November 2023. This includes our consideration of any actions taken, or commitments made, by the landlord during that period.
8. The resident also informed us of a new complaint about what she said was the landlord’s failure to carry out electrical, insulation and cleaning works caused by the pests. The resident has raised complaint issues which have occurred since the complaint exhausted the landlord’s complaint procedure. We have no power to investigate complaints which the landlord has not had the chance to put right first. There is no evidence the resident raised a complaint about this. Therefore, we will not investigate this issue.

What we have investigated

9. The resident complained on 17 April 2023. She said pests were entering her home through defects in the roof and loft and that roof repairs remained outstanding despite her raising concerns during a stock condition survey in 2022. She asked the landlord to complete repairs to prevent further pest ingress.
10. The landlord’s repairs policy states it is responsible for resolving pest infestations. Following a pest inspection, it should review the findings, raise any recommended works, and confirm completion.
11. The landlord responded on 10 May 2023. It explained the purpose of stock condition surveys and that they were not a method to report repair or pest issues. It said it would inspect the problem and raise any repairs identified. It apologised for the confusion about the survey and offered £30 compensation.
12. The records show pest control operatives attended on 5 May 2023 to follow up on previous actions. No earlier pest control records have been seen, so it is unclear when the pest activity had been reported before this visit. The inspection found no new activity, removed traps, and completed treatment without recommendations. A repairs inspection took place on 12 May 2023, which identified the need for roof works. These works were completed on 11 July 2023.
13. The resident escalated her complaint on 16 October 2023. She said the roof works had not resolved the issue and that pests had returned through the same ingress point.
14. Records show pest control attended on 21 October 2023. They identified low-level squirrel activity and gnawed electrical wires, set traps, and recommended an urgent inspection of the cables. Electrical works were completed on 2 November 2023. On 3 November 2023, pest control confirmed further squirrel infestation and recommended additional proofing works.
15. In its stage 2 response dated 9 November 2023, the landlord confirmed it had previously completed roof works. It said pest control had identified squirrel damage to electrical cables and that a further electrical safety inspection was booked for 17 November 2023. It also raised a work order to repair the ingress point, with a post‑inspection planned for 7 December 2023. It acknowledged that further works were required and offered £30 compensation.
16. Roof repairs were completed on 1 December 2023. A post‑inspection on 15 December 2023, followed by a pest control visit on 18 December 2023, identified ongoing activity and a large gap in the roof. Further roof works were completed on 15 January 2024.
17. The repeated reoccurrence of the problem was understandably and clearly frustrating for the resident. Nonetheless, the landlord’s records are robust and show it completed the actions it committed to at stage 1 and stage 2. These actions were in line with its policy and completed within broadly reasonable timescales, when considered against the landlord’s 28 day and 3-month targets for routine or major repairs. While the landlord apologised and offered compensation for the need for additional work, the overall duration appears to be due to the complexity of the issue, as nothing in the evidence suggests poor work quality or missed opportunities for a quicker solution.
18. Due to continuing issues in 2024, the landlord reviewed the complaint again in October 2024 and acknowledged later delays. It apologised and offered £1,100 compensation, which the resident confirmed to us has been paid. Although it subsequently changed its position, this was based on developments that arose after its stage 2 response. The landlord’s earlier formal complaint responses were reasonable and in line with its policy based on its knowledge and the circumstances at the time.

Complaint	Complaint handling
Finding	Service failure

19. The landlord’s complaint definition and response times align with our Complaint Handling Code (the Code).
20. The resident complained on 17 April 2023. The landlord issued its stage 1 response on 10 May 2023, 16 working days later, which was 1 working day outside its policy timescale. There is no evidence the delay caused any adverse impact on the resident, and, on its own, was not significant enough to be considered a service failure.
21. The landlord’s stage 2 response was within its policy timescale.
22. However, the landlord’s responses did not include clear explanations of its findings, decisions, or actions in relation to pest control. The information it provided lacked sufficient detail. This was a missed opportunity to explain its position fully, particularly as the evidence shows it was carrying out several pest control measures and held relevant information about the pest issue. As a result, the landlord did not fully explain what actions it was taking, or why. The responses therefore did not meet the Code’s requirement to provide clear explanations, and this was a shortcoming in its complaint handling.
23. In its later 2024 review of its actions, the landlord acknowledged these complaint shortcomings, apologised, and offered £100 compensation in October 2024. As the landlord has recognised the issues and offered reasonable remedy for the failings identified, no further orders have been made.

Learning

24. As explained, the landlord’s responses lacked sufficient detail, and it later acknowledged this shortcoming. It should ensure that it takes learning from this case forward to improve its complaint handling in future cases.

Knowledge Information Management (record keeping)

25. The landlord’s overall record keeping was of a good standard. It provided detailed job cards that clearly set out the recommendations made and the actions taken.