Ombudsman focuses on landlord failures over severe leaks in latest maladministration report

In another case, a landlord failed to act quickly despite contractors noting the “masses of water” and “active leaks everywhere” in a tenant’s home.

It failed to update the resident, ignored recommendations from inspectors and missed appointments because it could not get into adjacent flats.

The property’s freeholder eventually resolved the problem, but the landlord was also delayed in responding to the “significant damp and mould” now present in the home.

In a learning statement, the landlord said it has created a new team to manage complex repairs, has staff to oversee managing agent relationships and is reviewing how it supports vulnerable residents.

Another provider left a resident waiting three years for a leak to be resolved after it confused her complaint with an insurance claim.

This landlord said it is working to make its internal communications and complaint handling better, and upgrading its record keeping.

At a different landlord, a woman experiencing health issues and her children had no light in their kitchen or bathroom, had to shower elsewhere and could not have people over to their home because of damp and mould caused by a leak.

The disrepair was not solved for four years because the provider did not access a next-door leasehold flat to make repairs and failed to take effective action against the leaseholder, who was not carrying out the work that was needed.

The landlord said it has reviewed how it handles complaints, sped up assessments and brought in more temporary mitigation measures.

Richard Blakeway, the housing ombudsman, acknowledged the complexity of the cases in the report, as well as other challenges faced by landlords such as having to deal with multiple parties.

He said: “Managing that complexity brings the need for effective controls, reliable data and good communication. Unfortunately, such controls can be lacking.

“This leads one landlord to ask a resident whether its own contractor has made appointments, or another resident having to raise an emergency repair four times.”

He also highlighted another “striking theme” of landlords needing to get into neighbouring homes to fix leaks: “The challenge of handling these situations is apparent. Where it could have been handled better is fulfilling legal processes and considering mitigations for the residents impacted, including temporary moves.

“It underscores landlord accountability – the operating environment may be complex, but this does not absolve obligations. This is [something] that Awaab’s Law has further clarified.”

The full report and list of landlords can be found here.