Sovereign Network Group (202501012)

A blue and grey text

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

REPORT

COMPLAINT 202501012

Sovereign Network Group

03 October 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

The complaint is about the landlord’s response to the resident’s reports of a roof leak, blocked gutters, and damp and mould in her flat.

Background

The resident has been an assured tenant of the landlord since 2022. She lives in the 2-bedroom flat with her 3 children. The resident was pregnant and had her third child during this complaint. Through the complaints process the resident highlighted to the landlord that she has asthma and one of her children experienced regular throat infections and coughs.
The resident complained to the landlord on 1 November 2023. She said the landlord replaced the water tank in July. After this she had to use the booster to get hot water as the main switch was not working. The resident also raised that while the landlord secured the roof tiles after they fell off, it had not replaced them. This caused a leak in her bedroom. The resident said she had mould for years. After trying to resolve this herself, she reported it to the landlord on 26 January 2023. The landlord had not carried out the recommendations of the inspection. It had done a mould wash, but the mould returned. Due to this and the leak, the resident had to redecorate annually and replace furniture.
The landlord sent 2 stage one responses on 21 and 22 November 2023. It said regarding the:
1. Hot water provision – The landlord was not aware the new cylinder it fitted on 25 July 2023 was not working until the resident raised her complaint. The landlord arranged the repair for 27 November 2023.
2. Roof leak causing damp and mould – The resident called in January 2023 to say the gutters were overflowing and roof tiles had fallen off the rear of the block. After the landlord made it safe, it closed the job down due to an administrative error. The landlord apologised for this. It sent contractors after the resident chased on 24 July 2023. The landlord was not aware it remained outstanding until the resident raised this complaint. The landlord asked the contractor for a quote by 27 November 2023. It would ensure it updated the resident.
3. Bathroom – Renewal was due in 2024-2025. It asked the team responsible to contact the resident within 5 days.
4. Compensation – The landlord offered the resident £920 for the inconvenience and the time taken to resolve the issues. It said it would review the compensation once it completed the roof repairs.
The resident asked to escalate her complaint on 3 April 2024. She was not happy with the progress of the roof leak and damp and mould resolutions. She said the landlord gave her inconsistent information and she had to chase constantly. She had 3 surveyors round in the last year, but the landlord had not completed their recommendations. Her mental health was affected by the constant mould in the flat. She said she had lost faith in the landlord.
The landlord sent its final response letter on 17 May 2024. It advised it had approved the roof work, due to start on 20 May 2024. It had changed the contractor to deal with the damp and mould. On 15 May 2024, the landlord raised the work recommended by the damp report dated 20 December 2023. The contractor planned to be in touch with the resident in 5 working days to organise works. It offered the resident a further £810 for the high impact of the delays and distress, time, and trouble she experienced.
The resident brought her complaint to the Ombudsman as she remains unhappy with the landlord’s handling of the roof leak, damp and mould. She advised us the landlord only completed the bathroom fan heater replacement and gutter clearance. She also said the landlord had replaced the roof tiles, however she is still experiencing leaks, and problems with damp and mould. As a resolution she wanted estimated dates for the completion of work and additional compensation.

Assessment and findings

Scope of the investigation.

The resident also raised concerns that the reported issues have affected her and her daughter’s health. We are not qualified to assess health conditions and how the landlord’s actions or inactions may have affected them. In our view and in line with the Scheme, it would be quicker, fairer, more reasonable, and more effective to seek a remedy through the courts, other tribunal, or procedure. However, we can assess whether the landlord acted reasonably in the circumstances.

The landlord’s response to the resident’s reports of a roof leak, blocked gutters, and damp and mould in her flat.

On 26 January 2023, the resident reported damp and mould in her flat. She also reported a blocked gutter and roof tiles that had fallen at the rear of the building.
The landlord did not meet its repairs targets for the damp and mould, guttering, or the roof leak. We can see the landlord initially attended but did not progress the works, so it did not act in line with its policies. It also did not keep the resident updated with the progression of the works. For ease of reading, we have split the investigation into the issues reported.

Roof leak and blocked gutters

It is not disputed the landlord was responsible for resolving the roof leak and gutters. The resident complained the landlord took too long to resolve this. She said this resulted in a deterioration in her mental health and prolonged disruption to her life.
The resident reported the missing roof tiles and blocked gutters on 26 January 2023. It is not clear from the evidence when the landlord made the roof tiles safe. However, in her complaint on 1 November 2023, the resident referred to the landlord doing this but not replacing the tiles.
The landlord confirmed following an inspection on 27 November 2023 that the ongoing repairs needed urgent attention as the resident had 2 children in the property. It identified damp on the ceiling and visible water droplet stains on the walls. This was reiterated 2 days later when a contractor saw the missing ridge tiles and said the roof was open to the elements allowing water into the property.
The landlord identified in its complaint responses that it experienced administrative errors and problems with its contractors which led to delays. It was transparent and appropriate for the landlord to recognise this. We have seen that it chased its contractors, ultimately trying 3 contractors to get the work done. It was appropriate for the landlord to change contractors to speed up the repairs.
Through its stage one response the landlord had promised to follow-up with the resident. Despite this, the resident had to chase it for updates on 2 December 2023, 12 January 2024, 1 February 2024, and 7 March 2024, until the resident escalated her complaint on 3 April 2024. We can see during this period the landlord responded to the resident, but it did not initiate contact.
The landlord in its final response letter said the roof and gutter work was due to start on 20 May 2024. It contacted the resident on 18 June 2024 to say it believed it had completed the work. We have not seen the resident responded to this email. However, we have seen communication regarding other repairs where the resident did not mention continuing problems with the roof and gutters. Therefore, it is reasonable to accept the landlord completed this work by 18 June 2024.
The landlord’s repairs policy states it aims to attend gutter repairs in 2 weeks and to resolve in 1 month of the report. Following the resident’s report on 26 January 2023, the landlord should have resolved this by 27 February 2023. For complex repairs, like roofs, it will provide the resident with an estimated completion date. It will aim to complete this in 90 days, so in this case, by 27 April 2023.
This means the landlord was 1 year and 3 months late in completing the gutter repairs and 1 year and 1 month late in completing the roof repairs.
It was positive that the landlord had made the roof safe prior to the resident’s complaint. It also, through its complaints process, apologised for the impact and inconvenience on the resident, offering her a total of £1,730 for the whole complaint. However, the length of time the repairs took, in addition to not keeping the resident informed, meant the landlord did not fully recognise the detriment to her.
We note the resident advised us that she started experiencing leaks again. We have not seen any evidence she raised this with the landlord, and it is not in its records. We have therefore recommended that the landlord contact the resident regarding this.

Damp and mould

It is not disputed the landlord was responsible for the investigation, diagnosis, and effective resolution of the damp and mould. The resident complained the landlord took too long to resolve these issues and sent many surveyors without completing the recommended work. She said she had breathing issues, and her child suffered from repeated throat infections and coughs. She had to redecorate annually and replace items of furniture.
The landlord’s damp, mould, and condensation policy says it will investigate and diagnose the root cause. It will deliver effective remedial solutions and remain in regular effective communication with the resident, providing progress updates from beginning to end.
In line with its policy, the landlord investigated and diagnosed the issues. When the resident raised concerns on 26 January 2023, it inspected on 13 February, 23 February, 27 November, and 20 December 2023. However, the landlord did not provide evidence it effectively resolved the issues or communicated with the resident in line with its policy.
The landlord’s records suggest it completed several job orders. Although the record includes target dates, it does not confirm that the landlord was able to meet the target. We have considered, nonetheless, whether these required works were taken forward within a reasonable period of time.
We have collated the work identified through the inspections and the status of the jobs from the landlord’s records. We note the following:
1. During the inspection dated 13 February 2023, the landlord identified the need to repair/replace the bathroom extractor fan.
2. During the inspection dated 23 February 2023, the landlord identified the need to:
  1. Strip the walls, install a new membrane, and replaster.
  2. Install a positive input ventilation unit to manage condensation.
  3. Complete a mould wash.
3. During the inspection dated 27 November 2023, the landlord identified the need to:
  1. Replace the bathroom.
  2. Complete a mould wash.
  3. Resolve the roof leak.
  4. Resolve/replace electrical sockets.
  5. Replace balcony doors. A repair for an overhaul of the locks and replacement of the blown glass was cancelled 3 times. The landlord raised this for a fourth time, but this was not to replace the doors as identified through the inspection.
  6. Replace the cooker hood.
4. During the inspection dated 20 December 2023, the landlord identified the need to:
  1. Replace the bathroom fan heater.
  2. Replace or repair the storage heaters.
  3. Renew loft insulation once roof work completed.
  4. Investigate possible cold bridging on the window reveals.
  5. Assess ventilation provision, damage from leak, and suitability of the extractor fans flexible ducts in the loft space.
  6. Provide the means for the tumble dryer hose to go outside.
The landlord’s damp, mould, and condensation policy does not give timeframes for completion of works. Therefore, we have applied the timeframe it uses in its repairs policy. This says it aims to resolve routine repairs within 1 month of the need being identified.
We have not seen evidence the landlord met this target. As the landlord did not raise most of the jobs until at least a month after the inspections, it therefore did not take the appropriate action to be able to complete these within a reasonable time. The landlord’s records indicate that it completed the following:
1. The repair/replacement of the bathroom extractor fan.
2. The completion of a mould wash.
3. The resolution of the roof leak.
4. The resolution/replacement of electrical sockets.
5. The repair of the bathroom fan heater.
6. The repair/replacement of storage heaters.
This means that there were several jobs that the landlord identified that it did not go on to complete. The Ombudsman is unable to see that the landlord offered the resident an explanation for why it did not take these forward, or that it made an internal note to justify it for itself.
According to the records, the following jobs remain outstanding:
1. Stripping the walls, installation of a new membrane, and replastering.
2. Installing a positive input ventilation unit to manage the condensation.
3. Replacing the bathroom.
4. Replacing the balcony doors.
5. Replacing the cooker hood.
6. Renewing the loft insulation following the completion of the roof works.
7. Investigating possible cold bridging on the window reveals.
8. Assessing ventilation provision, damage from the leak, and the suitability of the extractor fans flexible ducts in the loft space.
9. Providing the means for the tumble dryer hose to go outside.
In the landlord’s stage one response, it said it disagreed with the findings from the inspection on 23 February 2023. The landlord is entitled to arrange for a further opinion where it is uncertain about the validity of an inspection. However, in the Ombudsman’s view, it should not have been necessary to complete 4. This would have been inconvenient for the resident (having to continually provide access). Had the landlord identified and completed all the necessary works in the first few inspections, a resolution could have been achieved in a much quicker timeframe.
In conversation with us on 8 April 2025, the resident said the mould on the walls was “terrible”. There were still several leaks from the roof, which she treated, but the mould kept coming back. There were only 2 storage heaters, which made heating the flat difficult. She highlighted this affected her mental health and she stopped inviting people, including her children’s friends to the flat.
Despite the 2 years 8 months since the resident first reported issues to the landlord, its many inspections, and the work completed, the resident still reported continuing problems. The resident has provided access to the landlord to complete inspections and the identified work, however she reports her living conditions have not improved.
An order of this report will be for the landlord to provide a response to each job that records show remains outstanding. If it is not completed, the landlord is to either explain why this is not necessary or provide an estimated date for its completion.
The landlord has not evidenced it remained in regular effective communication with the resident or provided updates in line with its damp, mould, and condensation policy. It has not evidenced it delivered effective remedial solutions or completed all the identified works which has left the resident living with damp and mould for longer.
The landlord’s response through its complaints process also did not fully address the detriment to the resident or the issues identified through this report. The resident was unclear whether the landlord intended to address the full list of outstanding works or not.

Summary

Appropriately, through the complaints process the landlord recognised its service fell short of the standard it expects, it identified delays, apologised for these, and offered compensation. However, this did not fully recognise the detriment to the resident. Following both complaint responses the resident had to chase the landlord to update her on the promises it had made. The landlord calculated the compensation to the date of the final response letter. It took it a further month to resolve the roof repair, and it has not evidenced it completed all the damp and mould work.
In addition to not acting in line with its policies for repairs and damp and mould, we have not seen the landlord prioritised the resident due to her vulnerabilities. She was clear with the landlord that she uses an inhaler and was pregnant / had just given birth to her baby while living with her other 2 children. This was reinforced to the landlord in the inspections of 27 November 2023 and 20 December 2023. This was a further failing on the landlord’s part which had a significant impact on the resident and her family.
Therefore, in accordance with the Scheme we find there was severe maladministration in the landlord’s response to the resident’s reports of a roof leak, blocked gutters, and damp and mould in her flat.
To put things right, we have ordered the landlord to take forward all the outstanding repairs identified through the landlord’s inspections but not completed. If for any reason, the landlord believes a job is no longer needed, it should provide the resident and us with a reasonable explanation and offer some guarantee that the absence of this work will not lead to a repeat of the issue.
The landlord should award the resident compensation totalling £3,437. As we understand it, by completing the roof repairs and some damp and mould jobs, the main issue should be resolved. Our calculation has subsequently been based on the “lower impact” awards outlined in the landlord’s compensation policy. This is a weekly amount of £5 for delays, £5 for distress and £1 for time and trouble. This amounts to £737 for the 67 weeks from 18 June 2024 to date.
We also accept the landlord’s earlier compensation calculation. It awarded the resident a weekly amount in recognition of the initial “high impact.” This was £20 for delays, £20 for distress and £5 for the resident’s time and trouble. We believe compensation is due for 60 weeks, however, from 27 April 2023 when the landlord should have completed the roof repair, until 18 June 2024 when it completed the work. In our view, £2,700 proportionately recognises the extent of this failing.
Finally, we recommend the landlord contacts the resident to understand her present experience and whether there are any further issues it needs to address.

Determination

In accordance with paragraph 52 of the Scheme, there was severe maladministration in the landlord’s response to the resident’s reports of a roof leak, blocked gutters, and damp and mould in her flat.

Orders and recommendation

Orders

The landlord must provide us with evidence that it has paid the resident compensation totalling £3,437 within 4 weeks of receiving this determination. This amount is inclusive of the landlord’s previous offer of £1,730. It comprises of awards for the delays the resident experienced, her distress, time, and trouble, broken down as:
1. £2,700 for the roof and gutters repairs from 27 April 2023-18 June 2024.
2. £737 for the damp and mould jobs from 18 June 2024 to date.
Within 4 weeks of the date of this report, the landlord must provide us with evidence that the jobs listed below have been completed (unless it has shared a practical reason not to complete a repair, and has offered some guarantee that the absence of this work will not lead to a repeat of the issue):
1. Repair/replace the bathroom extractor fan.
2. Resolve/replace electrical sockets.
3. Replace or repair the storage heaters.
Within 8 weeks of the date of this report, the landlord must provide us with evidence that the jobs listed below have been completed (unless it has shared a practical reason not to complete a repair, and has offered some guarantee that the absence of this work will not lead to a repeat of the issue):
1. Strip the walls, install a new membrane, and replaster.
2. Install a positive input ventilation unit to manage condensation.
3. Replace bathroom.
4. Replace balcony doors.
5. Replace cooker hood.
6. Renew loft insulation.
7. Investigate possible cold bridging on the window reveals.
8. Assess ventilation provision, damage from leak, suitability of the extractor fans flexible ducts in the loft space.
9. Provide the means for the tumble dryer hose to go outside.

Recommendation

We recommend the landlord contacts the resident to investigate her reports of leaks from the roof.