Sanctuary Housing Association (202346063)

REPORT

COMPLAINT 202346063

Sanctuary Housing Association

24 September 2025

Our approach

The Housing Ombudsman’s approach to investigating and determining complaints is to decide what is fair in all the circumstances of the case. This is set out in the Housing Act 1996 and the Housing Ombudsman Scheme (the Scheme). The Ombudsman considers the evidence and looks to see if there has been any ‘maladministration’, for example whether the landlord has failed to keep to the law, followed proper procedure, followed good practice or behaved in a reasonable and competent manner.

Both the resident and the landlord have submitted information to the Ombudsman and this has been carefully considered. Their accounts of what has happened are summarised below. This report is not an exhaustive description of all the events that have occurred in relation to this case, but an outline of the key issues as a background to the investigation’s findings.

The complaint

1. The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of leaks, damp, mould and subsequent repairs.
2. We have also considered the landlord’s complaint handling.

Background

3. The resident has an assured tenancy with the landlord. The property is a 2-bedroom bungalow. The landlord has recorded vulnerabilities for the resident including diabetes and asthma.
4. On 28 February 2023, the resident reported to the landlord damp in her bedroom wardrobe. Following this, the landlord inspected issues, and its contractor completed a roof survey. Work identified was completed on 1 July 2023. However, on 6 July 2023 the resident reported concerns that a “smell” had returned following rain.
5. The resident complained to the landlord on 7 December 2023. She expressed her concern that the situation was still unresolved. The landlord provided its stage 1 complaint response on 21 December 2023. It noted that it had made multiple visits since April 2023 to inspect and repair the roof. It said that further roof work was completed on 12 December 2023. It apologised for the time it took to complete repairs and awarded the resident £100 in recognition of this.
6. The resident escalated her complaint on 26 December 2023. She said that aspects of the landlord’s response were “wrong”. The landlord provided its stage 2 complaint response on 18 February 2024. It said that the resident’s initial report of damp spots in her bedroom was made on 28 February 2023. It acknowledged this report was not included in its stage 1 response. It also acknowledged that it had not previously set out that works raised after July 2023 were in response to her advising of ongoing issues. It apologised for this omission.
7. The landlord increased its award to the resident to £500. This was made up of:
   1. £100 previously offered at stage 1.
   2. £150 for the time, trouble and inconvenience caused by the volume of work.
   3. £50 in recognition of omissions in its stage 1 response.
   4. £50 for the delay in its stage 2 complaint response.
   5. £150 for the future impact of the work it was due to complete following its inspection of 1 February 2024.
8. The resident brought her complaint to the Ombudsman in March 2024 as she remained unhappy that the issue had not been fully resolved. She told us in September 2025 that all repairs had recently been completed. She said that she was not seeking financial compensation but wanted the landlord to apologise and explain why it had taken so long to resolve the issues she had first reported in February 2023.

Assessment and findings

Scope of the investigation

9. Since its stage 2 response on 18 February 2024, the landlord has completed further inspections, surveys and additional works in respect of issues. The resident told us of her concerns that issues with damp in her bedroom wardrobe were not resolved until August 2025. We acknowledge these concerns. However, in the interest of fairness and given the extent and length of the further work, the scope of this investigation is limited to the issues that were considered by the landlord’s formal complaints procedure. This is because the landlord needs to be given a fair opportunity to investigate and respond to any reported dissatisfaction with its actions prior to the involvement of the Ombudsman. Therefore, our investigation will focus on events up to February 2024.
10. If the resident has ongoing concerns about the landlord’s handling of repairs since February 2024, it would be open to her to raise this matter with it as a complaint. She may then refer the matter to the Ombudsman once her complaint has exhausted the landlord’s complaint procedure. However, we have also recommended that the landlord also contact the resident to address these concerns.

Handling of leaks, damp, mould and subsequent repairs.

11. The Ombudsman’s spotlight report on damp and mould (published in October 2021) provides recommendations for landlords. These include that landlords should adopt a zero-tolerance approach to damp and mould and ensure it clearly and regularly communicates with residents about actions to resolve the reported issues.
12. The landlord implemented a damp, mould and condensation policy in May 2024, which was after the events complained about. Prior to this, its earlier self-assessment against the Ombudsman’s spotlight report, set out its commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to damp and mould. This also stated that it would respond to damp and mould in line with its repairs timescales. Under this, it says it will respond to routine repairs within 45 calendar days. Further it says that it will tailor its approach based on its understanding of a resident’s needs.
13. The landlord’s initial response to the resident’s report of damp in her bedroom wardrobe on 28 February 2023 was timely. It inspected issues on 8 March 2023. However, it was slow to set out to her what action it would take following this inspection. That was a failing. Instead, the resident had to chase it 3 times between 22 March and 17 April 2023.
14. We acknowledge that the landlord referred the case to its wellbeing team on 17 April 2023 so the progress of repairs could be tracked. That was appropriate as it has noted the resident’s vulnerabilities, and she said she was sleeping on her sofa due to the smell of damp in her bedroom. But given this, it should reasonably have considered what remedial action could be taken in the interim, such as a mould wash and providing dehumidifiers. That there is no evidence the landlord considered this is a further failing.
15. The landlord noted receipt of a quote for a roof survey on 22 March 2023. However, it did not authorise the work until 26 April 2023. It should have taken more proactive steps to ensure necessary work was progressed, particularly as it was aware the resident was asthmatic and had other vulnerabilities. That it did not do so was a failing which inevitably delayed the progress of work.
16. After the roof survey was completed on 12 May 2023, the contractor’s report of 24 May 2023 recommended internal work including a mould wash and decoration, and external work to the roof and to install air vents. This work was authorised by the landlord on 29 May 2023. That was timely. However, while records show it provided a number of updates to the resident until it completed repairs on 1 July 2023, these were mostly in response to her contact. Had the landlord ensured regular proactive updates, it could have reassured her about the progress of work and saved her the time and trouble of chasing issues.
17. Following the resident’s report on 6 July 2023 that issues affecting her wardrobe had returned, the landlord took timely steps to raise further investigations on 11 July 2023. Records we have seen do not show when contractors re-inspected issues. However, they identified and sent the landlord details of further work required to the flooring and ceiling on 15 August 2023. While this work was completed on 6 October 2023, it was again delayed while it awaited approval by the landlord. It did not do so until 23 September 2023.
18. It is unclear why it took more than a month for the landlord to approve work. But, as noted earlier, given it was aware of the resident’s vulnerabilities, it would have been reasonable for it to consider action it could take to progress work without undue delay. That it did not do so, or detail any reason for the delay in approving work, was a failing. It was appropriate that the landlord’s stage 2 response acknowledged delays in recommending, approving and raising work. It was also appropriate that it identified and acknowledged that the resident chased it for updates on multiple occasions. But the landlord’s complaint response made no reference to how it should have taken account of the resident’s vulnerabilities. It should reasonably have done so. We acknowledge that since events complained about, the landlord has implemented a damp, mould and condensation policy and a vulnerability policy.
19. Records also show that the resident told the landlord of guttering and roof issues on 20 October 2023. The landlord raised work on 23 October 2023 for its external contractor to address the roof issue. Its stage 2 response set out that it also cleared and checked the resident’s drain gully on 3 November 2023. While we have not seen records relating to this repair, the resident did not dispute this.
20. The roof contractor attended on 10 November 2023 and completed a temporary repair to a roof tile. However, the landlord appropriately apologised in its stage 2 complaint that further work was delayed by a backlog in its contractor’s work caused by a recent storm. Further, records show it advised the resident of this delay on 10 November 2023. The landlord’s wellbeing team took appropriate steps to ensure timely completion of the roof work on 13 December 2023 after it received the quote on 5 December 2023.
21. The landlord’s stage 2 response to the resident on 18 February 2024 awarded the resident £250 in respect of delays and time, trouble and inconvenience. While the resident told us that she was not seeking financial compensation from the landlord, the award it made was appropriate and in line with the Ombudsman remedies guidance (the remedies guidance) given the delays it had identified.
22. The landlord’s award went some way towards acknowledging the impact of its failings. However, as noted earlier, we have identified other failings that it is yet to fully recognise. It could have done more at the outset such as a mould wash and provision of dehumidifier in advance of substantial work to the roof in July 2023, and ensure other work was not delayed. This is crucial given the resident’s vulnerabilities. Further, we identified failings by the landlord to be proactive in updating the resident about work or any delaying in arranging this. Overall, we have found maladministration in its handling of leaks, damp, mould and subsequent repairs. With consideration to the resolution the resident was seeking, and with reference to the remedies guidance, we have ordered that it apologise to her for the failings we have identified in this report.
23. We acknowledge that the resident subsequently reported to the landlord on 23 January 2024 her concerns about ongoing issues with damp in the wardrobe. After it inspected issues in February 2024, it raised further work to check the external wall with a thermal camera. This was later completed on 3 April 2024, with additional investigations raised subsequently. The landlord awarded the resident £150 in its stage 2 complaint response for the impact of the further work it anticipated. As set out earlier, it would be open to the resident to raise a further complaint to the landlord about any concerns she has about work completed to address issues since 18 February 2024.

Complaint handling

24. Under the Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code (the Code) landlords must ensure they acknowledge a complaint within 5 working days. They must respond to the complaint within 10 working days of this at stage 1 and within 20 working days at stage 2. The landlord’s complaints policy is compliant with the above requirements of the Code.
25. The landlord’s stage 1 complaint response was timely. However, as later identified in its stage 2 complaint response, it did not fully set out issues the resident had experienced. The landlord appropriately acknowledged and apologised to the resident for this in its subsequent response. Its award of £50 was reasonable recognition of the impact of this failing. The landlord’s stage 2 response was delayed. However, it appropriately contacted the resident in advance of this. While it said it would respond by 12 February 2024, it did not do so until 18 February 2024. The landlord’s subsequent apology to the resident, and award of £50, was reasonable in recognition of this delay.
26. As set out earlier, the landlord did not identify all failings in its stage 2 complaint response. It did not clearly acknowledge that it should have been more proactive in updating the resident. Further, it did not identify the action it could have taken to progress repairs considering the resident’s vulnerabilities. In line with the Code, landlords should acknowledge where things had gone wrong. That it did not fully do so amounted to a service failure in its complaint handling. With consideration to all the circumstances, we have ordered that it apologise to the resident for this.

Determination

27. In accordance with paragraph 52 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, there was:
    1. maladministration in the landlord’s handling of leaks, damp, mould and subsequent repairs.
    2. service failure in the landlord’s complaint handling.

Orders and recommendations

Orders

28. Within 4 weeks of the date of this report the landlord must:
    1. write to the resident to apologise for the failings we have identified in this report.
    2. pay the resident £500 it previously awarded in respect of failings it has already identified, if it has not already done so.

Recommendations

29. We recommend that within 4 weeks of the date of this report, the landlord contact the resident to address her concerns about the progress of repairs since February 2024. Should the resident wish, it should address the matter under its complaint procedures.
30. The resident has advised that recent repairs have resolved issues. However, we recommend that the landlord contact her to agree a date it will return to review whether these repairs have eradicated damp and mould issues. This is in line with its damp, mould and condensation procedure.