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Clarion Housing Association Limited (202115194)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202115194

Clarion Housing Association Limited

8 November 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 regarding the landlord’s handling of repairs to the resident’s shower.

Determination (decision)

  1. In accordance with paragraph 53 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord has made an offer of redress following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. In December 2019, the resident’s Social Worker contacted the landlord to report a fault with the resident’s shower. Although the landlord’s contractors attended on several occasions to attempt repairs, including on 19 January 2021 and 11 June 2021, the issue was not resolved until 12 March 2021 and the resident and her family did not have the use of a fully operational shower for that period.
  2. Although the resident’s Social Worker had raised a complaint in December 2019 regarding the faulty shower and length of time before an appointment was available, this was not logged. After further contact from the Social Worker, the landlord acknowledged the complaint in July 2020 but did not provide a Stage One response until 19 January 2021.
  3. In its Stage One complaint response, the landlord acknowledged failings in the case and offered the resident £1095 compensation, which was refused. The landlord increased its offer to £1135 following its Stage Two (Peer Review) investigation which identified further failings, but this was also refused by the resident. The landlord wrote to the resident again on 27 May 2021 having carried out a further review of the compensation offered. It advised it was awarding £2850, which it stated now reflected travel costs the resident had accrued when travelling to friends’ and relatives’ properties to use their shower facilities. This was also refused, and the resident’s complaint was referred to this Service.
  4. Following this Service’s intervention, the landlord wrote to this Service on 15 February 2022 to advise it had carried out a further review and was now prepared to offer the resident £3475.01. It contacted this Service again on 18 February 2022 to advise it had miscalculated and its final offer was now £5190.01. It asked this Service to relay its final offer to the resident.
  5. However, this Service did not pass on the landlord’s offer until 7 November 2022, following which the resident and her representative confirmed they were happy to accept the landlord’s offer of £5190.01 and considered this would adequately resolve the complaint.
  6. Paragraph 53 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that:
    1. “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”
  7. I am therefore satisfied that, following the intervention of this Service, the landlord has now taken actions to offer appropriate redress regarding the matters raised. As the resident has advised this Service that she is happy with the final amount offered, this Service considers the landlord has made an offer of redress which resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

Recommendations

  1. The landlord should contact the resident to arrange payment of the £5190.01 it offered in settlement of the complaint. It should contact this Service to confirm when the compensation has been paid.