Industry News


For 2019/20, the Ombudsman took an average of 5.8 months to conclude formal investigations into complaints, down from 6.7 months a year earlier. This is the first time the service has hit this key target.


COMPENSATION PAYMENTS In addition landlords were ordered to pay £412,214.54 in compensation to residents in 2019/20, with the Ombudsman issuing 1,618 orders and 999 recommendations. Housing ombudsman Richard Blakeway claimed


Ombudsman hits target resolution timescale for the first time


timescale of under-six months for the first time in its history. For 2019/20, the Ombudsman took an average of


I


5.8 months to conclude formal investigations into complaints, down from 6.7 months a year earlier. This is the first time the service has hit this key target. Further improvements are planned with a target timescale of resolving complaints within three months set for two years’ time. Repairs complaints continued to dominate its workload, representing 38 per cent of cases, while


mproved performance at the Housing Ombudsman has seen it meet its target for resolving customer complaints in an average


complaints about health and safety-related issues soared from 4 per cent in 2018/19 to 12 per cent last year. However, no formal referrals were made to the Regulator of Social Housing regarding non- compliance with orders. The Ombudsman received 14,903 enquiries


and complaints in total last year, down from 16,294 in the previous year, and it closed 15,832 cases. It issued conclusions for 2,138 cases, down slightly from 2,214. Of these conclusions, it found maladministration or partial maladministration by a landlord in 834 cases (39 per cent), marginally up by two per cent from 2018/19.


the service had achieved its “best performance against targets in recent times”. He promised further improvements, saying: “Our service will be even more important as we move forward and we remain committed to delivering our plans to expand and change the service, ensuring the Ombudsman is integral to a healthier housing system.” From the start of 2020/21 the Ombudsman will


share details of all severe maladministration findings with the regulator. It will also issue “complaint handling failure orders” and name landlords found to be at fault. The Ombudsman and regulator have agreed to


work closer together going forward with the former referring a wider range of cases to the regulator while a tougher set of powers for the redress scheme has also come into force. The two organisations recently agreed a


memorandum of understanding on their working relationship and greater sharing of information. This means that social landlords found repeatedly failing to handle complaints properly, or who the Ombudsman suspects of having systemic issues may find themselves being investigated by the regulator.


Ombudsman names and shames 12 social landlords


In a surprising move the Housing Ombudsman has named the social landlords most commonly found at fault in its investigations of complaints made by leaseholders. After analysing almost 2,000 recent complaints


from leaseholders and shared owners, the Ombudsman has warned the sector it is “consistently getting things wrong” on complaints handling. The six housing associations and six


councils with the highest number of maladministration findings against them following leaseholder or shared owner complaints, are: HAs - Clarion, A2Dominion, Notting Hill Genesis,


Peabody, L&Q and Orbit, while the councils are Southwark, Hammersmith and Fulham, Lambeth, Westminster, Haringey, and Camden (all in the capital). The Ombudsman said the strong London


focus among these landlords is “notable” and that councils in the capital “should consider what action they can take to improve their service in comparison to their counterparts”. The Ombudsman revealed that 72 per cent of


cases relating to complaints handling resulted in a finding of full or partial maladministration against the landlord. This is double the average rate for investigations undertaken by the Ombudsman.


Difficulties getting through landlords’


complaints procedures, delays and periods of inaction experienced by residents were to blame for the high overall figure of maladministration findings. “This is a concern for the sector. Leaseholders


and shared owners commit to a long-term relationship with their landlord. A poor experience of complaint-handling can damage this relationship and sour a resident’s perception of their landlord.” The Ombudsman further urged landlords to have clear lease arrangements in place “to avoid misunderstandings and dissatisfaction when issues arise”.


www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM October/November 2020 | 21


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