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Network Homes Limited (202116992)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202116992

Network Homes Limited

20 December 2021


Our approach

Under our early resolution process, the Ombudsman works with the resident and landlord to explore the issues in dispute, identify the matters that remain outstanding and assist in reaching an agreed settlement.

The complaint

  1. The resident complained about the level of compensation the landlord offered in relation to its handling of repairs.

Determination (decision)

  1. In accordance with paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord has made an offer of redress to the complainant which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. The resident submitted a complaint to the landlord concerning its handling of repairs to:
    1. leaks and mould in the bathroom;
    2. the front door;
    3. a blockage in the kitchen sink;
    4. the boiler.
  2. The complaint was reviewed within the landlord’s complaints procedure and the final response was issued on 27 August 2021. It found no fault in how it responded to the repairs to the leaks and mould in the bathroom or, the door repair. In relation to the sink blockage, it found that the resident had missed an appointment on 15 July 2021. Another order was raised for the repair on 16 July 2021, and it cleared the blockage on 22 July 2021.
  3. In respect of the boiler, a repair was raised for this on 21 July 2021 and was completed on 22 July 2021. Thereafter, it received a report of a loss of heating and hot water on 29 July 2021, caused by the same blockage that affected the sink. The repair was completed on 2 August 2021. The landlord found that there had been a service failure on two occasions, as it attended to two reports about the blockage outside of its 24 hour emergency time. It offered the resident a total of £100, which was an increase from its previous offer of £90.
  4. The resident approached this Service as they remained unhappy with the level of compensation offered by the landlord. They explained that as a result of the sink blockage, they could not use the sink or their washing machine and experienced issues with their boiler. In addition, they reported that they had to take time off work to accommodate repairs and felt distressed while the repair to the blockage was ongoing. The resident said they were seeking between £700 and £1000 compensation due to the impact the repair had on their household.
  5. This Service wrote to the landlord and advised it of the resident’s reasons as to why they remained unhappy with the level of compensation, and the figure of compensation they requested. It responded on 17 November 2021, reiterating its findings regarding the repairs to the blockage. It confirmed that it had considered the time taken to address the blockage and the impact this had on the resident and believed that the compensation offered was proportionate. It agreed that it would be willing to increase its offer to £150, to resolve the complaint.
  6. We called the resident on 23 November 2021, to discuss the landlord’s revised offer of compensation and the considerations it made in making the offer. The resident agreed that they would consider the offer but disputed that they had missed the appointment on 15 July 2021. In addition, the resident reported that they did not agree that the blockage was cleared on 22 July 2021, and claimed the repair remained outstanding until 2 August 2021.
  7. We relayed this information to the landlord and it asked for evidence to support the resident’s claims. It confirmed that without any evidence, its position regarding the compensation remained. This Service discussed this with the resident on 15 December 2021, and they confirmed they were not able to provide the evidence requested. However, they agreed that they would accept the landlord’s offer of compensation as a resolution to the complaint
  8. Paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that:
    1. “At any time, the Ombudsman may determine the investigation of a complaint immediately if satisfied that the member has made an offer of redress following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily. This will result in a finding of ‘resolved with intervention’.”
  9. The resident has confirmed that they accept the landlord’s offer of compensation as a resolution to their complaint. I am therefore satisfied, following the intervention of this Service, that the landlord has now taken actions to remedy the matters raised which resolve the complaint satisfactorily.

Recommendation

  1. The landlord is to pay the resident the £150 offered, within four weeks of the date of this report. Once the payment has been made, the landlord is to provide confirmation to this Service.