Lambeth Council’s complaints handling process has improved but the results have not been ‘seen and felt by its residents’, according to the Housing Ombudsman.
An inspection by Ombudsman Richard Blakeway found a lack of consistency in various aspects of the council’s complaint handling, including how it lodged complaints.
The Housing Ombudsman said good progress has been made but added that the council is not resourced to adequately respond to the complaints it is handling through its existing process.
‘We commend the leadership of the landlord for the focus it has brought to resolving the problems which have beset it. The landlord has introduced a culture of accountability and ownership and a solid platform to now go further,’ said Mr Blakeway.
‘There are already positive signs. The Ombudsman has not issued the landlord with a Complaint Handling Failure Order in over six months, having issued five last year. However, the steps the landlord has taken have yet to result in a more consistently positive resident experience.’
A council spokesperson said: ‘We accept the findings and commit to delivering the recommendations within three months.
‘We have apologised for the failings identified in the complaints that led to this inspection and have fixed the issues that impacted residents as well as paying compensation to them.’
