Large Welsh landlord apologises to tenants over ‘serious distress’ after damp and mould failures

Delays in fixing a broken boiler also meant he could not heat his property despite being a vulnerable resident, the ombudsman said.

His boiler was only fixed after his wife complained, the agency said.

In Mrs C’s case, surveys found moisture in her home that led to damp and mould. The ombudsman also said communication with her was “not always appropriate” and the needs of her disabled granddaughters were “not clearly considered”.

Trivallis was also criticised for its complaint-handling and record-keeping. Inaccurate records led to “fundamental errors” in Mrs C’s case.

And in Mr B’s case, the landlord’s staff used photographs from a previous visit to “incorrectly assert” that an inspection of his roof had taken place, the agency said.

Michelle Morris, public services ombudsman for Wales, said the cases show “the serious distress caused when essential repairs are not carried out”.

She added: “Systemic weaknesses in the association’s repairs service – such as inaccurate records and failure to act on repeated requests – prolonged residents’ distress and undermined trust in how complaints and repairs are managed.”

Among its recommendations to Trivallis, the agency said its staff must receive training to “identify and respond appropriately to vulnerable customers”.

The landlord was also told it needed processes to “identify, record and escalate repeated repair requests, and to analyse information from property sensors on damp and mould”.

The ombudsman did not publicly specify how much compensation Trivallis had to pay, but said it had recommended “financial redress in recognition of the injustice and where applicable, the losses suffered”.

A statement on Trivallis’ website said it “fully accepted” the ombudsman’s findings in both cases and offered “heartfelt apologies”. It also said Duncan Forbes, chief executive of Trivallis, had visited the tenants in person. 

Mr Forbes said: “We deeply regret the failings in these cases and have taken full responsibility. We’ve made real progress, but we know there’s more to do. Our commitment is to listen, learn and keep improving, so every tenant receives the service they deserve.”