Places for People Group Limited (202422458)

Decision
Case ID	202422458
Decision type	Investigation
Landlord	Places for People Group Limited
Landlord type	Housing Association
Occupancy	Assured Tenancy
Date	23 February 2026

Background

1. The resident complained about multiple outstanding repairs from the start of the tenancy. She said some repairs stopped her moving in straight away. She requested an adjustment to her rent account to reflect the delay. Her son represents her in bringing the complaint to us. For clarity, the report refers to both the resident and her son as “the resident.”

What the complaint is about

2. The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s:
   1. Reports of multiple repairs from the start of the tenancy.
   2. Complaint.

Our decision (determination)

3. We have found:
   1. Service failure in the landlord’s handling of reports of multiple repairs from the start of the tenancy.
   2. Service failure in the landlord’s handling of the complaint.

We have made orders for the landlord to put things right.

Summary of reasons

Reports of multiple repairs from the start of the tenancy

4. The landlord failed to act in line with its policies. While it apologised and offered some redress, delays continued and it failed to demonstrate any learning.

The complaint

5. The landlord acknowledged its stage 1 complaint handling failures but did not apologise or offer redress for its stage 2 delays, showing no evidence of learning.

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.

Orders

Landlords must comply with our orders in the manner and timescales we specify. The landlord must provide documentary evidence of compliance with our orders by the due date set.

Order	What the landlord must do	Due date
1	Compensation order The landlord must pay the resident £900 made up as follows: £700 for distress and inconvenience, including for further delays following its final response £200 for complaint handling failures in addition, it should credit the 5 weeks rent offered in its complaint responses if it has not already done so   This must be paid directly to the resident by the due date. The landlord must provide documentary evidence of payment by the due date. The landlord may deduct from the total figure any payments it has already paid.	No later than 23 March 2026
2	Completing the works   The landlord must contact the resident to discuss any outstanding repairs. The landlord must produce a clear action plan setting out: Whether the landlord is responsible to repair or resolve the issue together with reasons where it is not responsible A full scope of works The likely timescales to commence and complete the work The landlord must take all steps to ensure the work is completed promptly and in any event by the due date. If the landlord cannot complete the works in this time, it must explain to us, by the due date: Why it cannot complete the works by the due date and provide evidence to support its reasons. It must provide a revised timescale of when it will finish the works; or Explain the steps it has taken to ensure the works were completed and provide supporting evidence. It must provide a revised timescale if it is able to or explain why it cannot.	No Later than 23 March 2026

 

Our investigation

The complaint procedure

Date	What happened
6 May 2024	The resident complained to the landlord about its handling of multiple repairs when the property was let. She said she could not move in for 6 weeks due to no ground floor electricity and a capped gas supply. She stated pre–tenancy checks were inadequate. She also asked for her rent account to reflect her move in date of 19 November 2023.
17 June 2024	The landlord sent its stage 1 complaint response. It acknowledged multiple repairs were raised and not fully completed. It said an inspection on 11 June 2024 identified repairs and these were awaiting action or approval. It said it had credited 4 weeks rent and agreed to add another week. It apologised for the stress, inconvenience and delay responding to the complaint. It offered £550 compensation comprising: £250 for distress and inconvenience £200 for the repair delays £100 for its complaint handling failures
17 June to 18 June 2024	The resident asked the landlord to escalate her complaint. She said only minimal repairs had been booked and issues continued. She also wanted a further adjustment to her rent account to reflect her actual move in date.
5 September 2024	The landlord sent its stage 2 complaint response to the resident. It apologised for its failings and provided updates on all outstanding repairs. It said it could not make further rent adjustments. It increased its compensation offer to £700 comprising: £300 for distress and inconvenience £300 for the repair delays £100 for its complaint handling failures
Referral to the Ombudsman	The resident was unhappy with the landlord’s final response and asked us to investigate. She said some repairs were still outstanding and the rent account remained unresolved. She wanted all repairs resolved and increased 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 multiple repairs from the start of the tenancy
Finding	Service failure

6. The landlord provided limited evidence in relation to this case which has affected our ability to accurately assess the timeline of events. This indicates a record keeping failure. Our investigation has relied on the available evidence.
7. The landlord inspected the property while empty and completed some repairs before letting. It obtained an electrical safety certificate with no issues and noted the gas was capped. The resident’s tenancy began on 5 October 2023. That day, it gave her utility registration details and said it would uncap the gas within 48 hours once she notified it. These steps met expected practice and ensured the property was safe.
8. The resident reported multiple repairs to the landlord 10 days after the tenancy began. Records show 2 repairs were completed at that stage. Following her stage 1 complaint and an inspection, it completed 2 more repairs. On 3 September 2024, she provided a list of over 20 outstanding issues, and it scheduled dates for inspections or repairs. Following its final complaint response, it scheduled a further 15 appointments over 6 months, completing 8 repairs. The volume of appointments and poor records show ineffective repair management and created avoidable disruption. It failed to meet its 28 day policy timescale, with some repairs taking over a year and provided no clarification all were complete.
9. It is unclear when the resident first reported to the landlord that the downstairs lights were not working. She said this prevented her from moving in. Records show it knew by 21 October 2023 and 16 days later, she said it remained unresolved. It offered temporary lighting the next day but there is no record it provided this. It is unclear when it repaired the lights, though she moved in on 19 November 2023. The landlord met its 28 day repair timescale. There is no evidence it posed a safety risk that prevented occupation and there nothing to suggest it was an issue at the time of the initial inspection. However, communication was poor and it should have supplied temporary lighting sooner.
10. The resident reported the capped gas to the landlord on 26 October 2023, 21 days into the tenancy. She said the lack of heating and hot water stopped her moving in. Its advice to contact the supplier was in line with the information given at sign up. It met its obligations and cannot be deemed responsible for this delay. It is unclear when it restored the gas, though a boiler repair on 2 November 2023 indicates it was resolved.
11. The resident first requested the landlord adjust her rent account 10 days into the tenancy and it agreed to credit 2 weeks. On 11 January 2024, she requested a further adjustment as she moved in on 19 November 2023. There is no record it considered this until its stage 1 complaint response. It credited a total of 5 weeks rent and in its stage 2 response said it would not award any more. This was a reasonable offer, as there is no evidence of a health and safety risk that prevented her moving in. However, its poor communication did not meet the standards expected.
12. In the landlord’s final response, it apologised for its delays and poor communication and offered £600 for the delays, distress and inconvenience. It also confirmed credit of 5 weeks rent. Although these actions can be said to put things right for the resident, it failed to show any learning or ensure it completed repairs as outlined in its final response.
13. Evidence shows delays continued after its final response and some repairs remain outstanding. Our outcomes guidance is clear that a finding of reasonable redress cannot be determined under such circumstances. We have, therefore, made an order to pay additional compensation for the further delays, identify outstanding repairs and provide a timeline to complete these.

Complaint	The complaint
Finding	Service failure

14. The landlord’s complaint policy at the time of the complaint complies with the definition of a complaint in the Code (April 2024). The timescales in the landlord’s complaint procedure complied with the Code.
15. The landlord acknowledged the stage 1 complaint 2 days later than the 5 working days set out in its policy. It requested an extension but issued its response 1 day later than the revised deadline of 10 working days, as per its policy.
16. The resident escalated the complaint, but the landlord took 33 working days to acknowledge it, 28 days late under its policy of 5 working days. Its stage 2 response was a further 5 days late based on the 20 working days set out in its policy. We have seen no evidence it discussed an extension.
17. There were inaccuracies in the landlord’s complaint responses, including the void check date in its stage 1 response. Landlords must ensure accuracy in complaint responses.
18. The landlord offered £100 for its stage 1 complaint handling failures, in line with its compensation procedure. However, it failed to acknowledge or apologise for the stage 2 delay or offer further redress. We have made an order to reflect this.

Learning

General learning

19. Landlords must ensure accuracy of information in complaint responses to avoid confusion.
20. Landlords must ensure that when multiple repairs are reported, they provide a clear schedule of works and limit the number of appointments required to manage disruption.
21. Landlords must ensure that void inspections identify all repairs and that these are completed prior to sign up to prevent disruption.

Knowledge information management (record keeping)

22. The landlords lack of evidence made it challenging to assess the timeline of events. Accurate records must be kept and shared during investigations. It should view our spotlight report on knowledge and information management.

Communication

23. Landlords must maintain clear communication with residents, so they are aware of actions taken and progression of queries and repairs.