Notting Hill Genesis (202500630)

Decision
Case ID	202500630
Decision type	Investigation
Landlord	Notting Hill Genesis
Landlord type	Housing Association
Occupancy	Assured Tenancy
Date	27 May 2026

Background

The resident reported a leak to the landlord. The resident then made a complaint to the landlord about its handling of the leak repair.

What the complaint is about

The complaint is about:
1. The landlord’s handling of reports of a roof leak.
2. The landlord’s complaint handling.

Our decision (determination)

We have found there was:
1. Reasonable redress in the landlord’s handling of reports of a roof leak.
2. Reasonable redress in the landlord’s complaint handling.

We have not made orders for the landlord to put things right.

Summary of reasons

The landlord’s handling of reports of a roof leak

The landlord identified it had not dealt with the roof repair in line with its policy and took appropriate steps to put the matter right.

The landlord’s complaint handling

The landlord identified it had not responded to the resident’s complaint within its policy timeframe. It took appropriate steps to put the matter right.

Putting things right

Where we find service failure, maladministration or severe maladministration we can make orders for the landlord to put things right. We have the discretion to make recommendations in all other cases within our jurisdiction.

Recommendations

Our recommendations are not binding, and a landlord may decide not to follow them.

Our recommendations
The landlord should pay the resident the £600 compensation it offered in its stage 2 complaint response if it has not already done so.
The landlord should review the time period from its stage 2 complaint response to December 2025. It should consider if there were any delays in carrying out the inspection to check the previous roof repair and if any further remedy is needed.

Our investigation

The complaint procedure

Date	What happened
19 November 2024	The landlord logged the resident’s complaint. She complained that the roof was leaking and the issue had been going on for several years.
9 January 2025	The landlord issued it stage 1 response. It asked the resident if the repairs had been completed to a satisfactory level and to provide photos of any new leak.
27 January 2025	The resident escalated her complaint to stage 2.
3 February 2025	The landlord acknowledged the escalation request. It said it would provide a response by 3 March 2025.
3 March 2025	The landlord told the resident it needed more time to provide its response. It said it would provide a response by 31 March 2025.
10 March 2025	The landlord issued its stage 2 response. It said: the resident had told it there were no active leaks in the property the resident had asked it to check the roof for leaks before she redecorated it would provide an update for this within 10 working days the resident had told it she did not want it to carry out the remedial works in the bathroom it offered the resident £50 towards the redecoration costs it had not effectively managed or addressed her repair concerns in line with its policies and procedures there was a delay of 8 working days in acknowledging the resident’s complaint and a delay of 8 working days in sharing its stage 1 response there was a delay of one working day in providing its stage 2 acknowledgement it asked for an extension in providing its stage 2 response on the day it was due It offered the resident a total of £600 compensation as: £375 for poor handling of leak concerns and inconvenience experienced £50 good will gesture for redecorating £175 for complaint handling
11 March to 2 December 2025	The landlord told the resident a roof inspection had been booked for the 12 March 2025. The landlord told the resident it needed a specialist to inspect the roof and requested this. The contractor told the landlord they inspected the previous repair and the resident had told them there had been no dampness since it had been completed.
Referral to the Ombudsman	The resident contacted us on 4 April 2025. She told us on 6 June 2025 she wanted her complaint investigated. She wanted the landlord to cover the cost of redecoration alongside its compensation offer.

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	The landlord’s handling of reports of a roof leak
Finding	Reasonable redress

The landlord is responsible for the repair of the roof under the tenancy agreement. Its repairs policy says it will complete standard repairs within 20 working days. The resident reported a roof leak on 12 April 2024, which it repaired on 24 May 2024, 29 working days later.
The landlord in its stage 2 complaint response did not dispute it had not dealt with the resident’s concerns about the roof repair in line with its policies and procedures. It apologised for this, offered compensation and said it would reinspect the roof.
The landlord’s offer of £375 compensation is in line with our compensation guidance for a finding of maladministration. We are satisfied this amount is proportionate to compensate the resident for the landlord’s failings and the adverse but not permanent impact they had on the resident.
The landlord was responsible for redecorating following a leak under its repairs policy. However, the resident told the landlord she wanted to carry out the redecoration herself. The landlord also offered the resident £50 as a good will gesture towards redecorating costs in its stage 2 complaint response. This was a reasonable approach for the landlord to take on the matter.
Overall, the landlord took reasonable steps to put the matter right. It repaired the leak and offered appropriate redress for its failings in line with our compensation guidance. In its stage 2 response the landlord said it would check the previous roof repair had been completed effectively. This was not fully completed until December 2025. As such we recommend the landlord review this and provide any further remedy to the resident that it is appropriate.

Complaint	The landlord’s complaint handling
Finding	Reasonable redress

The timescales in the landlord’s complaints policy are compliant with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code (the Code).
The landlord in its stage 2 response identified there had been delays in its responses. It apologised for this and offered £175 compensation. We are satisfied this was proportionate for the delay experienced by the resident and the impact it had on trying to resolve the complaint.

Learning

The landlord did not identify any of its only learning from the complaint or say what steps it would take in the future to prevent this issue happening again. It is important for landlords to reflect upon complaint cases where they find failing and take steps to improve service going forward.

Knowledge information management (record keeping)

The landlord’s records allowed us to investigate this complaint.

Communication

Overall we have not seen anything to suggest the landlord’s communication with the resident was not professional.