Hammersmith and Fulham Council (202010163)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202010163

Hammersmith and Fulham Council

6 April 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 landlord’s handling of repair issues and the length of time taken to resolve this.

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 submitted a complaint to their landlord about unresolved repair issues.
  2. On 16 July 2021, the landlord issued its final response to the resident’s complaint. It acknowledged that the service the resident received was severely below the expected standards of its repairs team and offered the resident compensation of £3500.
  3. On 8 February 2022, the resident referred her complaint to this service as she had not received the compensation and works were still outstanding.
  4. On the 9 March 2022, we spoke to the resident. She told us that although repair works were now being carried out, she hadn’t received the compensation of £3500. She also explained that she did initially have some concerns about accepting the compensation amount as she was worried it would affect the repair works from being carried out, however she clarified that she never refused the offer. She confirmed that she just wanted the landlord to pay the compensation previously offered. Our service contacted the landlord the same day, to let it know that in resolution of the complaint the resident was looking for the previous compensation offer to be paid as soon as possible.
  5. On 31 March, the landlord contacted this service to confirm that it would agree to make the payment.
  6. On 6 April, the landlord provided confirmation to this service that the payment had been processed.
  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 now taken actions to remedy the matters raised which resolve the complaint satisfactorily.