The Housing Ombudsman has published a severe maladministration for Leeds City Council, due to its failure to effectively tackle a water leak, causing a resident to live for two years with damp in both the kitchen and bathroom.
The Ombudsman’s investigation found:
- severe maladministration in the Council’s handling of the repair and
- maladministration in its handling of the formal complaint.
The Ombudsman ordered the Council to:
- pay total compensation to the resident of £1,000
- apologise to the resident in writing
- carry out any works required following an assessment of the ventilation in the kitchen and bathroom
- carry out any works required following an assessment of any leaks/damp
- conduct a review of the handling of the repairs and
- undertake a staff training exercise to ensure that relevant staff are aware of the need to, and are able to, investigate and respond to complaints appropriately.
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said: “The landlord repeatedly failed to complete repairs even though it was made aware of outstanding works over a prolonged period. While I do not doubt the pandemic was a factor, the information available highlights significant failings in the management and monitoring of repairs by the landlord, leading to an adverse effect to the resident”.