Landlords can now complete the Complaint Handling Code Annual Submissions form. More information is available online.

Home Group Limited (201915622)

Back to Top

 REPORT

COMPLAINT 201915622

Home Group Limited

17 February 2021


Our approach

Under our mediation 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 resident complained about how the landlord handled their:

a.     Reports of anti-social behaviour

b.     Reports of illegally parked vehicles.

c.      Requests for gardening improvements.

d.     Reports about the standard of the ground maintenance.

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 which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. The resident complained to the landlord about its response to concerns they raised about:
  • Parking issues on the estate.
  • Moss growth and the presence of Ivy in the car park.
  • The maintenance of the communal land areas and the standard of the landscaping.
  1. The landlord issued its final response to the complaint on 25 June 2020. As a resolution to the complaint, it agreed to:

–          Undertake an estate inspection, to review the communal grounds and consider the resident’s suggestions to improve the appearance of the estate.

–          Install car park signage.

  1. The resident referred their complaint to this Service on 30 November 2020 and said that the landlord had not completed the actions it agreed to in its complaint response. 
  2. We called the resident on 8 December 2020 to discuss their complaint and explained the ways we could assist with resolution. The resident agreed to take part in our mediation process and said to resolve their complaint, they wanted the landlord to:

–          Install signs in the car park advising it is resident’s parking only.

–          Extend and erect a fence along the boundary of grounds to the rear of his property, where there is a gap between the existing fence and neighbouring property.

–          Plant supplementary flowers and shrubs and improve the standard of grounds maintenance work.

  1. We wrote to the landlord about the resident’s complaint and confirmed the outcomes the resident was seeking as a resolution. It responded on 19 January 2021, that it had already agreed to provide the outcomes sought by the resident, when it responded to the complaint. The landlord informed that it had a newly appointed contractor to complete the works to install the signage and the landscaping and would contact the resident to arrange an appointment for estate inspection.
  2. We called the resident on 27 January 2021, to inform them of the landlord’s proposed actions. The resident raised queries about the landlord’s proposals, so we sought clarification on how it intended to provide the outcomes it agreed. It responded on 2 February 2021, and confirmed:

–          It would aim to complete the installation of the car park signage by the 5 February 2021.

–          Following an inspection on 27 January 2021, a further estate inspection was booked with its contractor, on 4 February 2021, to discuss the planting of the flowers.

–          Wooden fencing would be installed and the target completion date for this is 15 February 2021.

  1. During a call with the resident on 8 February 2021, they informed:

–          The car park signs had been installed with further signs being installed once they have been manufactured.

–          They were aware of the target completion date for the fencing work.

–          The estate inspection took place on 4 February 2021, and a decision had been made about the type of plants to be planted and when the seeds would be sown. The resident explained they were happy with the landlord’s proposal

The resident confirmed that they were satisfied that the landlord had completed the actions it agreed to do and, had provided them with information as to what they are to expect for those outcomes which are yet to be completed and considered the complaint resolved.

  1. 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’.”
  2. I am therefore satisfied, following the intervention of this Service, that the landlord has now taken actions to remedy the matters raised which resolve the complaint satisfactorily.

Recommendation

  1. That the landlord writes to the resident within 10 working days of the date of this report, with confirmation of the action to be completed in respect of the planting of the flower beds, following the inspection on 4 February 2021. The landlord should also provide this Service with a copy of the correspondence.