The Housing Ombudsman has published seven severe maladministration findings for London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham across three cases.
The Ombudsman’s investigation also found maladministration in respect of the landlord’s handling of a temporary decant, as well as in respect of its handling of damp and mould at the property.
In the first case, on which the Ombudsman made one severe maladministration finding, the landlord left a resident and his young daughter living with water pouring down their walls in heavy rain and subsequent mould and damp for approximately four years, which damaged plaster, decorations, and belongings.
In the second case, the Ombudsman made three findings of severe maladministration for the landlord’s response to leaks, its complaint handling and its consideration of the residents’ vulnerability.
In the third case, the Ombudsman made three findings of severe maladministration for the landlord’s failure to make multiple repairs, its complaint handling and poor record keeping.
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said: “The experiences of each resident engaging its landlord is shocking. There were significant, multiple and common failings across these cases, which raises serious concerns about the landlord’s services. In all three of the cases, there was a vulnerability present that the landlord either did not take into consideration or ignored. This is simply unacceptable from a social landlord. Running through of all these complaints are failings in repairs, which we see often in our casework. However, it is the length of time residents have been waiting in appalling circumstances that is of greatest concern. There were multiple opportunities for the landlord to resolve all of the issues uncovered in our investigations and yet the urgency to do so wasn’t there”.