A nine-month delay in Ealing Council’s complaint handling left a vulnerable resident without redress, Ombudsman says.
The Housing Ombudsman made a finding of severe maladministration after the London borough failed to address properly a leaking roof.
The council also failed to respond to a complaint from the resident and only responded once the Housing Ombudsman issued a Complaint Handling Failure Order.
After an investigation, the council was ordered to pay the resident £1,225 in compensation, update its records with vital information about the case and ensure it is compliant with the Complaint Handling Code.
Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: ‘The fact we’ve had to intervene on numerous occasions during this complaint is undeniably unacceptable. The Complaint Handling Code is there to support landlords to deliver an effective complaints procedure. The timescales are clear markers for landlords to ensure residents are listened to and their concerns dealt with promptly.’
A council spokesperson apologised and said: ‘We are committed to providing high-quality housing services to our residents and take complaints and grievances very seriously. However, we acknowledge that, in this case, our procedures and communication failed to meet the expected standards. We recognise our shortcomings and the subsequent impact it’s had on our resident’s experience.’
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