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Sovereign Housing Association Limited (202012693)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202012693

Sovereign Housing Association Limited

22 April 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 response to the resident’s request for closing vents to be fitted to a double door in the living room of their 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 which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. On 29 January 2021, following advice from this Service, the resident raised concerns with their landlord about the air vents of their living room door which were installed back in February 2020 and were letting cold air into the property.
  2. The landlord responded within 5 working days and arranged for a contractor to inspect the door vents on 04 February 2021.
  3. The resident escalated their complaint straight after the contractor’s visit. The resident was dissatisfied that the landlord had not resolved the issue at the time of the visit.
  4. In its final response of 04 February 2021, the landlord explained that the reason for not completing the work during the contactor’s visit to the property was because a necessary part had not been available at the time and it had to order it. The landlord stated that it had scheduled the work for 19 February 2021.
  5. The resident contacted this Service on 09 March 2021 and explained that the works to the vents were completed but in order for the issue to be fully resolved further adjustments to the door were necessary to stop the air coming through the vents.
  6. The resident agreed to participate in the mediation process and confirmed that the outcome they are seeking is for the landlord to carry out further adjustments to the living room door in order to stop the flow of cold air.
  7. This Service forwarded the above mediation offer to the landlord on 11 March 2021.
  8. On 06 April 2021, the Ombudsman received an update from the landlord agreeing to the proposed resolution, and confirming it would arrange further adjustments to the living room door in order to resolve the cold air flow issue.
  9. 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’.”
  10. 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.

Recommendations

  1. If the landlord has not yet done so, it should write to the resident within three weeks of this report and provide confirmation that it will complete the requested work; information about how this will be arranged; and an estimate of timescales for completion, copying this Service in.