The Housing Ombudsman has published a special report on Clarion Housing Association, following concerns about its response to complaints about damp, mould and pest control. The review is based on 13 investigations determined in the six months to 30 June 2022, including five cases of severe maladministration.
The report sets out five key findings:
- Damp and mould – Clarion’s approach was often inconsistent which seriously impacted residents. It did not have a sufficiently robust and detailed policy in place, and the policy aims that it did have were not met in practice. Recurring themes in the majority of relevant cases include a failure to accurately diagnose the cause within a reasonable timeframe, poor communication and failures to update residents on inspection findings and the actions to be taken
- Pest control – there was no evidence of wider service failure in Clarion’s overall approach but some weaknesses found in its response to individual cases
- Complaint handling – evidence of service failures were found that are indicative of wider service failures in Clarion’s handling of formal complaints, with poor complaint handling often adding to existing delays in addressing the service provision issue. Four of the five severe maladministration findings related to complaint handling
- Compensation – Clarion offered sizeable compensation in two of the cases with severe maladministration findings. This practice at the end of the complaints procedure may be appropriate but should not be routine and
- Record keeping and communication – poor record keeping and communication were recurring themes in the majority of the cases, both in the response to the service request and subsequent handling of the complaint.
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said “residents had to raise formal complaints to prompt action from the landlord and the complaint handling was then often slow and ineffective, adding to their dissatisfaction” and Clarion “should consider how it achieves a positive complaint handling culture, developing the required leadership to promote this approach across the organisation”.