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Places for People Homes Limited (202115072)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202115072

Places for People Homes Limited

10 November 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 complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the replacement of the resident’s roof.

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 raised a formal complaint to the Landlord, about its handling of the replacement of their roof in March 2021.  The resident stated that they and their 1 bedroom top floor flat were affected by rain because the landlord did not provide protective covering while it was replacing the building’s roof.  The resident stated that this resulted in rain damage to their home, interrupted power supply, increased heating costs, stress and inconvenience.  The resident asked for compensation from the landlord for these reasons.
  2. The landlord provided its final response to the complaint on 25 June 2021, stating that it accepted it had not taken adequate measure to protect the property while replacing the roof, apologised and offered £650.00 compensation.
  3. On 25 October 2021, the resident contacted this service and advised us that that they were not satisfied with the level of compensation the landlord had offered and that damp had started to develop on walls and around windows of the property.
  4. We wrote to the landlord on 25 October enquiring about the possibility of reaching a mediated resolution to the resident’s complaint to the Housing Ombudsman.  We explained that the resident wanted the landlord to increase its offer of compensation. They believed that the landlord should offer £1000 for distress and inconvenience, which would bring the total amount offered to £1460.
  5. The landlord responded on 1 November 2021 and advised this service that it had increased its offer of compensation to the amount requested by the resident (£1460), that a works order has been raised for a contractor to attend and review the damp issues, and that it would keep the resident updated in this regard.
  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’.”

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

If it has not done so already, the landlord should arrange payment of the compensation to the resident and provide confirmation of payment to this Service within four weeks.