We publish decisions as part of our commitment to being open and transparent.
Decision reports do not include residents’ names, but we name landlords. They date from December 2020, and we publish them 3 months after the final decision date.
In some cases, we will not publish a decision if it is not in the resident’s or landlord’s interest. Or if we will compromise the resident’s anonymity. You can read more in our guidance on decisions.
This complaint is about the landlord’s handling of fire safety issues within the resident’s block, including: Delays in it replacing the resident’s front door. The resident’s request for information about a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) conducted in 2018. The resident’s concerns about the landlord’s FRA in 2023. The landlord’s communication with the resident about fire safety issues in 2024.
The complaint is about: The effects of disrepair on the value of the resident’s property. The landlord’s handling of leaks, damp and mould. The landlord’s complaint handling.
The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of: The resident’s reports of damp and mould in the property. Repairs to the property’s back door.
The complaint is about the landlord’s communications with the resident in relation to building safety.
The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s reports of: Heating and hot water issues. Its staff’s conduct. We have also considered the landlord’s: Communication regarding the resident’s rent account. Handling of the associated complaints.
The complaint is about the landlord’s response to the resident’s reports of a reoccurring leak through a communal roof into his living room and hallway.
The complaint is about the landlords handling of: A bathroom window repair. The associated complaint.
The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of: Reports of smells, steam, noise, and fluff entering from a neighbouring property. Reports of damp. The complaint. The landlord operates a 2 stage complaints procedure. It says it will respond within 10 working days at stage 1 and 20 working days at stage 2. The landlord appropriately responded within the timeframes provided in its procedure at stage 1. There were however concerns with its handling of the resident’s complaint at stage 2. The resident escalated his complaint on 13 July 2023. The landlord however said internally that it wanted to try to deescalate and stop the resident proceeding to stage 2. This was inappropriate and not in line with the Ombudsman’s code. The landlord had a responsibility to provide the resident with the necessary response in a prompt manner. Following its attempts to deescalate, it was unable to resolve the resident’s concerns, and he asked to escalate to stage 2 again on 27 September 2023. As such its approach led to an unnecessary delay in the complaint handling process. After escalating his complaint, the landlord realised it would not provide its response by the necessary deadline. It appropriately asked the resident for an extension and provided its response on 23 October 2023. As the resident initially escalated on 13 July 2023, it is fair to consider the stage 2 escalation from this date. Based on this, there was a delay of over 3 months in the landlord providing a stage 2 response and this was inappropriate. This also means that its actions contributed to a delay in the complaint handling process of over 6 months. Based on this we find that there was maladministration. The landlord did not acknowledge the failings in its approach with its complaint handling and offered the resident no redress around the situation. Based on this and its compensation policy we order that the landlord pay the resident added compensation around its complaint handling.
The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s concerns about: her disabled parking bay. the removal of CCTV on her estate. power cuts to her home. The Ombudsman has also assessed the landlord’s complaint handling.
The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s reports of: Her personal belongings being lost whilst being transferred into temporary accommodation. Damp and mould within the property. Drainage issues in the kitchen. A boiler repair and being without heating and hot water at the property.