Ombudsman special investigation into Camden Council reveals defensive complaint handling culture

The Housing Ombudsman has published its special investigation report into the London Borough of Camden’s landlord services, finding evidence of a defensive complaints culture, with documents containing dismissive tones that run the risk of discouraging the acknowledgement of valid complaints.

The landlord has implemented various improvements during this investigation in key places we found failings, and these have been welcomed by the Ombudsman.

The investigation was prompted by a significant volume of severe maladministration findings. In the report, the Ombudsman investigated 57 individual complaints, making 124 findings of maladministration where obligations, policies, or processes were not followed, with a detrimental impact on the residents involved. This represents a maladministration rate of 83% during 2023-24. The Ombudsman also made 275 orders on these cases to make things right for residents.

In one case, a resident with arthritis and other health needs, who relies on a service dog, experienced outages to a lift over an extensive period, with it estimated to be broken 686 days out of the 1,051 he had lived in the block. This left him having to navigate stairs multiple times daily.

The landlord did not consider a temporary move, so the resident moved himself to a wooden shack with no heating or hot water. The landlord had previously received complaints about the lift but did not learn from these to prevent the impact on the resident. Since this determination, the landlord succeeded in finding long-term, permanent accommodation for this resident.

In another case about renovation works, a leaseholder waited 2,337 days for a response to their complaint.

The report identified 3 key themes and made recommendations to improve in those areas.

Complaint handling 

Although the landlord may not have intended to appear dismissive of resident complaints, its practices and communications created a perception of a defensive culture. The investigation identified several areas for improvement in handling complaints. These include reviewing processes and training to align with the statutory Complaint Handling Code to foster a culture that values complaint handling. Additionally, the landlord should enhance its processes for complaint identification, acknowledgment, and investigation. Consistent and transparent guidance on compensation and improved data accuracy in complaint recording and performance reporting were also recommended.

Disrepair 

Property condition was the main driver for complaints with the landlord. Its repairs management suffered from record-keeping inaccuracies and gaps, significantly contributing to failures in cases. Key issues included unlinked repair histories, neglected follow-ups on inspections, stalled repairs lacking explanations, repeated unsuccessful repair attempts, and poor communication with residents. These problems span various repair types, such as damp, leaks, and pest infestations, highlighting systemic inefficiencies. To improve the management of repairs the report recommended the landlord establishes a systematic process for tracking outstanding repairs through to completion.

Vulnerable residents 

The landlord’s inadequate response to vulnerable residents highlights a lack of policy regarding reasonable adjustments. This resulted in communication barriers, as seen in a case where a deaf resident’s request for an in-person British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter was delayed for 4 months. The landlord’s complaint handling shows insufficient recognition of residents’ vulnerabilities and the impact. The Ombudsman requested an update on the landlord’s review of its approach to vulnerability and reasonable adjustments, including its strategy for longer-term system and data improvements.

While the landlord has engaged positively in the investigation and made various efforts to implement improvements, it still needs to take action in several areas as the Ombudsman continues to see complaints where the substantial issues remain unresolved. In 80% of the complaints relating to property condition the repairs were outstanding after the landlord’s final response and 100% of findings have been upheld on complaint handling since April 2024 to September 2024.

The Ombudsman has requested the landlord provide an action plan to address the report’s recommendations and will continue to engage with it. 

Camden special investigation summary and full report

In all special investigation reports, the Ombudsman invites the landlord to provide a learning statement.