Resident faces prolonged distress due to a nine-month wait for a response to their complaint, deemed intolerable.
In a recent development, the London Borough of Ealing Council has faced severe maladministration findings from the Housing Ombudsman service. The council was ordered to pay a resident £1,225 in compensation following numerous failures in handling a complaint.
The complaint, which related to a leak in the resident's flat, was believed to be coming from the flat above. After reporting the issue, the council landlord visited both flats and made some repairs. However, the resident reported that the issue was still ongoing, and a complaint was made two months later.
Over the following six months, the resident kept in touch with the council landlord but received no update on the complaint. The Ombudsman was forced to issue a Complaint Handling Failure Order to get the council to issue a response.
Ealing Council acknowledges that its procedures and communication failed to meet expected standards in this case. The council has overhauled its complaints handling process in response to this case and is seeking a new contractor to improve services for residents.
The Housing Ombudsman found maladministration in how Ealing Council handled reports of the leak and noise from plumbing above the resident's flat. The Ombudsman also ordered the council to update its records with vital information about the case.
In a statement, Ealing Council said, "We are committed to providing high-quality housing services and take complaints seriously. However, we recognise the impact our shortcomings had on the resident's experience in this case."
The Housing Ombudsman is hosting monthly drop-in sessions on the Complaint Handling Code and encourages landlords to sign up for questions or guidance on compliance. The Complaint Handling Code, which is meant to support landlords in delivering an effective complaints procedure, was not followed by Ealing Council in this instance.
The maladministration findings from the Housing Ombudsman service have allowed Ealing Council to review and improve its service standards. The council has taken over the official administration to improve housing management and particularly the handling of complaints.
The Housing Ombudsman will exercise its powers more in this area as the Complaint Handling Code becomes statutory under the Social Housing Regulation Bill. The intervention in this case was necessary to ensure that residents receive timely and effective responses to their complaints.
