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Water ran down wall of child’s bedroom for two years, Housing Ombudsman finds
A child had water running down their bedroom wall for two years, according to a case highlighted by the Housing Ombudsman in its latest severe maladministration report.
Water ran down wall of child’s bedroom for two years, Housing Ombudsman finds #UKhousing A child had water running down their bedroom wall for two years, according to a case highlighted by the Housing Ombudsman in its latest severe maladministration report #UKhousingAnother case in the report, which highlighted nine landlords and focused on roof leaks, involves a resident recovering from chemotherapy treatment to find their bedroom unusable because of a leak.
The watchdog said the report, which looks at the impact that leaks can have on daily life, should serve as early lessons for landlords on Awaab’s Law cases and the upcoming Decent Homes Standard.
One resident had to prepare food in a mouldy kitchen while recovering from a double lung transplant. Others were forced to empty buckets when it rained, while a child’s TV caught on fire in one case.
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Housing ombudsman Richard Blakeway said: “With the new Decent Homes Standard on the horizon, lessons from responsive repairs should be transferred into handling major works.
“This includes oversight, timeliness and communication. Otherwise, poor performance in these areas could undermine what should otherwise be positive outcomes for residents of major works.”
He added that the lessons from the casework could also be taken forward into the expansion of Awaab’s Law.
“Issues present in our early investigations include inadequate risk assessments, unexplained delays, un-evidenced reports of no access and no consideration of temporary moves.
“Reported changes to the condition of the home or the resident’s circumstances are sometimes missed by landlords, when an emergency action could be required,” he said.
Mr Blakeway warned that under an extended Awaab’s Law, landlords will be “under pressure to take more immediate and effective action rather than waiting for planned works”.
The second phase of Awaab’s Law expands the scope of hazards significantly.
The first phase of the law, which legally obliges landlords to respond to hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System within strict timeframes, just focused on damp and mould.
Phase two includes excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse and explosions, fire and electrical hazards, and hygiene and food safety.
According to the report, roof faults, like window disrepair, is an emerging issue in the watchdog’s casework.
“It can present two systemic issues which landlords need to grasp: engaging homeowners and planning major works,” Mr Blakeway said.
The ombudsman said the complexity and cost of replacing roofs mean these can be delayed beyond a reasonable timeframe.
The report identified cases where consultation with homeowners was poor.
“In some cases, the complexity of different tenures within a building is another factor. And diffuse accountability between developers and landlords can create another barrier to resolution, with the resident stuck in the middle,” according to the report.
Mr Blakeway said accountability could be strengthened by a “single redress scheme” across the private and social housing sectors.
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