The Housing Ombudsman has issued a new report on complaints dedicated solely to highlighting cases where instances of severe maladministration have been found.
The report names five landlords: both the London boroughs of Camden and Newham, Together Housing Group, Hyde Housing, and Cottsway Housing.
Two cases involved lengthy delays by Camden and Newham in dealing with repairs, resultng in residents living in poor conditions over long periods of time.
Another case saw that a group of 29 residents living in supporting housing provided by Together Housing Association were not consulted as required by regulatory standards about support services being withdrawn.
Failures by Cottsway Housing led a resident to believe for 15 years she had preserved right to buy when she did not.
Hyde Housing failed to respond to enquiries initially made by a resident and then by the Ombudsman for over a year.
Poor complaints handing and record keeping
Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, said: “This report is focused on the few but most serious failings where we investigate and make a finding of severe maladministration.
“Issues with complaint-handling featured in all of the cases, together with poor record keeping in several.
“I have been encouraged by the response from landlords in wanting to put things right and hope that, by publishing these cases, the learning is shared more widely across the sector to help improve services and benefit residents.”
The report is part of what the Ombudsman calls an ongoing process to increase transparency, with cases containing a finding of severe maladministration being highlighted on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
The Ombudsman also plans on notifying the Regulator of Social Housing, under the revised memorandum of understanding adopted with the new Housing Ombudsman Scheme.
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