The new improved webform is online now! Residents and representatives can access the form online today.

Peabody Trust (202005661)

Back to Top

REPORT

COMPLAINT 202005661

Peabody Trust

6 July 2021


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 resident complained about the level of compensation the landlord offered toward the cleaning, following a fire in the property.

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 tenant of the landlord’s property. In March 2020, a fire occurred in the property and the resident was decanted from the property. They returned to the property in June 2020.
  2. On return to the property, the resident submitted a complaint to the landlord about the condition of the property and requested compensation for the damage to their belongings as a result of the fire.
  3. The landlord issued its final response on 29 January 2021. It said:
    1. That it would not offer compensation for the damage to the resident’s personal items, as such items would be covered by contents insurance. It noted that the resident had been signposted to its insurance team.
    2. It could not find evidence that it arranged a deep clean as it agreed to, and acknowledged that the resident had completed the cleaning themselves. It offered £100 towards the costs the resident incurred cleaning and said if the resident’s costs were higher than what was offered, it would consider further compensation.
    3. It apologised for the delay in responding to the complaint and offered £100 for its complaint handling.
    4. It said that although it did not arrange the deep clean, it decanted the resident within 24 hours of being made aware of the fire.
  4. On 18 May 2021, the resident referred their complaint to this Service and said that they had not received the compensation payment from the landlord, since it was offered in the final response. We contacted the resident to discuss the complaint on 4 June 2021 and they confirmed that the landlord had since paid the compensation. They said that to resolve their complaint, they wanted the landlord to offer an additional £125 compensation for carpet cleaning costs.
  5. We wrote to the landlord and explained what the resident was seeking to resolve their complaint. It responded and confirmed it would be willing to pay the additional compensation sought.
  6. 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’.”
  7. 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 pays the additional £125 compensation to the resident within three weeks of the date of this report.