Richmond Housing Partnership Limited (202525064)

Background

1. In December 2024, a leak from the resident’s bathroom damaged her kitchen ceiling. The landlord made the ceiling safe at the time and noted that it needed to repair it. The landlord replaced the ceiling in April 2026.

What the complaint is about

2. The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s kitchen ceiling repair.

Our decision (determination)

3. There was maladministration in the landlord’s handling of the resident’s kitchen ceiling repair.

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

Reasons

4. Landlords have a legal obligation to keep their properties in good repair. The landlord’s policy says that it will complete routine repairs within 28 working days.
5. The landlord took approximately 17 months to complete the kitchen ceiling repairs in the resident’s property. During this prolonged period of time, the evidence shows that it:
   1. Failed to adequately monitor and progress the repair.
   2. Failed to keep in reasonable contact with the resident. This meant that she had to chase it for updates on several occasions.
   3. Missed opportunities to meaningfully investigate the resident’s concerns that the kitchen ceiling was unsafe following the temporary repair in December 2024.
6. We are satisfied that the 17 months it took the landlord to resolve the repair was avoidable and significantly exceeded its policy timescale of 28 working days.
7. The length of time it took the landlord to resolve the repair and its other failures during that period caused the resident distress and inconvenience. In particular, this is because the evidence available shows that during that time she did not have a kitchen light and had to use lamps for lighting.
8. It is acknowledged that the landlord offered the resident £300 compensation in its October 2025 stage 2 response. However, given the failings highlighted and that further avoidable delays continued until it completed the works in April 2026, the compensation did not go far enough to put matters right.
9. Therefore, we have ordered the landlord to pay the resident £600 compensation. This is in line with our compensation guidance for circumstances where the landlord’s failings adversely affected the resident. This replaces its original offer of £300. Any payment that it has already been made may be deducted from the total.
10. The landlord told the resident that it would provide her with its insurer’s details following her concerns that the leak had damaged her belongings. It is unclear whether it did so. The resident has also told us that the smoke alarm was not re-installed following the completion of the works. Therefore, an order has been made for the landlord to contact the resident in relation to these matters.

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.