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The Riverside Group Limited (202014886)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202014886

The Riverside Group Limited

30 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 level of compensation the landlord offered following a fire alarm repair.

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 complained to the landlord about its handling of a repair to the fire alarm system. The landlord responded to the complaint at stage one of its complaints procedure and offered the resident £150 compensation in recognition of its handling of the repair. The resident declined its offer and escalated the complaint to stage two of the complaint procedure.
  2. The landlord issued its final response to the complaint on 26 February 2021.It apologised to the resident for the level of service it delivered when dealing with the repair and revised its offer of compensation to £300.
  3. On 9 March 2021, the resident contacted this Service and confirmed they were unhappy with the level of compensation the landlord offered. During a conversation with the resident on 19 March 2021, they confirmed that they would like to take part in our mediation process and would accept a compensation offer of £600 from the landlord as a resolution to their complaint.
  4. This Service contacted the landlord with the details about what the resident was seeking as an outcome to their complaint and asked it if it wanted to engage in our mediation process.
  5. The landlord agreed to take part in our mediation process and confirmed on 21 April 2021, that it would offer the resident the £600 compensation.
  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. As the landlord has agreed to offer the resident the compensation they were seeking, I am satisfied that it has taken actions to remedy the matters raised, which resolve the complaint satisfactorily.

Recommendation

  1. The landlord has confirmed that it will make the payment to the resident and will send confirmation to the Service that it has done so. I recommend that it makes the payment to the resident within three weeks of the date of this report.