Industry News


Ombudsman sets out a tougher set of powers


their introduction in July this year. Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman,


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said: “Our goal is to deliver a step-change in providing timely, effective and high-quality redress. Equally, we are dedicated to promoting positive change by sharing the insights into our casework, creating more tools for landlords to improve their complaint handling and sharing our data publicly.” The service has published its business plan for 2020/21 as well as a revised scheme, which gives the Ombudsman stronger powers and more resources to deliver significant improvements in housing redress. Both are available on the Ombudsman’s website. Other guidance will be published later in the year. New provisions under the revised scheme will take effect from 1 July, they include:


• A new power that allows the Ombudsman to issue complaint handling failure orders when a complaint gets stuck in the landlord’s process or where landlords do not provide evidence requested by the Ombudsman in a timely manner;


tougher set of powers to take action against failing social landlords have been outlined by the Housing Ombudsman, ahead of


• A ‘severe maladministration’ finding to clarify the range of determinations from service failure to maladministration to severe maladministration, together with a requirement for the landlord to demonstrate learning after the Ombudsman’s decision;


• A more proactive approach in identifying possible systemic failure and to undertake further investigation either into an individual landlord or sector-wide issues. Any systemic failing found would be referred to the Regulator of Social Housing, as part of a broadening range of closer working processes between the two organisations; and


• Developing a new complaint handling code to achieve greater consistency across landlords’ complaint procedures.


The Business Plan 2020/21 introduces a new, more efficient dispute resolution service as well as improved accessibility and greater transparency. It aims to reduce the average determination time on cases by half over the next two years – to 4-5 months in 2020-21, then to 3-4 months by 2021-22.


The subscription fee for landlords will increase


for the first time in three years to £2.16 per home. This will pay for extra staff and other resources needed to deliver the service improvements and to meet continuing high demand for the service from tenants. The plan also outlines new initiatives to share


learning. A new dedicated team will be created to undertake further investigations into potential systemic issues, provide greater analysis and insight on complaints to promote positive change in the sector. Mr Blakeway added: “We are committed to


openness and transparency and will publish individual landlord complaint handling performance data as well as all determinations by the end of the financial year.” Both of the publications were approved by


Robert Jenrick, Housing Secretary, following a consultation with landlords, residents and other stakeholders which showed strong support for the Ombudsman’s plans. Guidance on how complaint handling will work,


the framework for systemic investigations and the complaint handling code will all be published during the year.


Over 80 per cent of adults at risk of missing ‘hangover like’ carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms


after research showed most people would miss the symptoms. The Gas Safe Register has launched a Better Gas


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Safe Than Sorry campaign, urging the public to get clued up. Research has shown that only 18 per cent of people are likely to consider carbon monoxide poisoning as a possible cause of headaches and nausea. The gas is colourless, tasteless and


odourless meaning that it is difficult to spot without a properly functioning detector. It can build up in our bloodstream over time making it the silent killer. On average there are over 100 reported incidents a year of carbon monoxide poisoning in our homes, with 16 deaths in the last five years. Many people mistake carbon monoxide


poisoning symptoms for a different illness such as a cold, flu or hangover, according to the research. The data reveals that more than three quarters (82 per cent) of people


he gas industry’s safety watchdog has warned the public to be more aware of the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning


are unlikely to consider CO poisoning as the possible cause of a headache and nausea. This is despite these symptoms being two of the most common signs of exposure to the poisonous gas. The research, which involved 3,000 UK


adults, suggests that most people do not realise that the effects of CO exposure may not be severe. Only one in five (20 per cent) respondents said they would be aware of a carbon monoxide leak in their home if they felt unwell, as opposed to seriously unwell. The six main symptoms to look out for are:


1. Headaches 2. Dizziness 3. Nausea 4. Breathlessness 5. Collapse 6. Loss of consciousness


The findings are particularly concerning as latest figures show that 5.5 million homes in the UK are known to have unsafe gas appliances, such as gas


14 | HMM April/May 2020 | www.housingmmonline.co.uk


boilers, cookers or gas fires which can lead to carbon monoxide leaking. Even more worryingly, only 20 per cent of those


surveyed said they always stop using a faulty gas appliance until it is fixed and just 42 per cent get their gas appliances serviced every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Jonathan Samuel, Chief Executive, Gas Safe


Register said: “It is really important to be better gas safe than sorry. Staying safe includes being aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. If people are suffering from ‘hangover-like’ symptoms, such as headaches or nausea but haven’t been drinking - it is important to consider carbon monoxide poisoning alongside other possible causes. We would urge everyone to help protect themselves and their loved ones by getting their gas appliances safety checked every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer”. Gas Safe Register is the official list of gas


businesses who are registered to work safely and legally on boilers, cookers, fires and all other gas appliances. By law all gas engineers must be on the Gas Safe Register.


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