Tower Hamlets Homes (202114025)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202114025

Tower Hamlets Homes

31 March 2022

 

Our approach

Under our early resolution process, the Ombudsman works with the resident and landlord to explore the issues in dispute, identify the matters that remain outstanding and assist in reaching an agreed settlement.

The complaint

  1. The complaint is about the standard of the maintenance on the estate.

Determination (decision)

  1. In accordance with paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord has made an offer of redress to the complainant, following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. The resident is a leaseholder of a flat within a block which the landlord is the freeholder.
  2. The resident submitted a formal complaint to the landlord about their dissatisfaction with the maintenance of the estate. It responded on 17 September 2021 and confirmed the issues the resident had raised, its respective responses to the issues and how it had or would be, addressing the issues.
  3. The resident contacted this Service about their complaint on 2 November 2021. We discussed the complaint with them, and they informed that the frequency of the caretaker’s visits to the estate had reduced, they were unhappy with the standard of the maintenance of the block and lights on the estate were not working. They said that anti-social behaviour was beginning to take place on the estate, and they believed that this was the result of a lack of maintenance being carried out to the estate. To resolve the complaint, the resident said that they wanted the landlord to increase the frequency of the caretakers visit, carry out an inspection and maintain the block.
  4. On 8 March 2022, we wrote to the landlord about why the resident remained unhappy with the outcome of the complaint and the resolution they were seeking. The landlord responded with a proposal to have a discussion with the resident about their concerns, with a view to it arranging a way forward in dealing with the concerns and any future concerns the resident may have.
  5. We discussed the landlord’s proposal with the resident, and they confirmed that they would be willing to engage in a discussion with the landlord as it proposed.
  6. We informed the landlord of the residents position and asked if it could follow up the discussion in writing to confirm the issues the resident raised and its response or action plan to address these issues. It agreed that it would do so.
  7. Paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that:
    1. “At any time, the Ombudsman may determine the investigation of a complaint immediately if satisfied that the member has made an offer of redress following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily. This will result in a finding of ‘resolved with intervention’.”
  8. I am therefore satisfied, following the intervention of this Service, that the landlord has taken actions to remedy the matters raised which resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

Recommendations

  1. The landlord is to contact the resident within two weeks of the date of this report, to discuss their concerns about the maintenance of the estate.
  2. Within a week of the discussion, the landlord is to write to the resident, confirming the issues the resident raised and what action it intends to take to address these issues going forward with a timescale for completion.
  3. The above determination is dependent on the landlord completing the actions it has agreed to do. Therefore, it is to provide a copy of the correspondence it sends to the resident, to this Service.