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Haringey Council (202003052)

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REPORT

 

COMPLAINT 202003052

Haringey Council

29 January 2021

 


Our approach

Under our early resolution process, the Ombudsman works with the resident and landlord to explore the issues in dispute, identify the matters that remain outstanding and assist in reaching an agreed settlement.

The complaint

  1. The resident complained about the landlord’s handling of their management transfer request.

Determination (decision)

  1. In accordance with paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord has made an offer of redress to the resident which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. The resident complained to the landlord about its handling of their management transfer request and the conduct of the staff members dealing with the management transfer.
  2. The landlord issued its final response to the complaint on 22 May 2020. It said that it considered that the property it offered to the resident was suitable and did not believe the resident had grounds to refuse the offer. It concluded that it found no evidence that the management transfer had been dealt with incorrectly.
  3. The resident approached this Service with their complaint, on 16 September 2020. They explained that to resolve the complaint, they would like the landlord to offer another property which met a criteria suited to their family’s needs. The resident provided this Service with a criteria for the type of property they were seeking.
  4. This Service contacted the landlord with the details about what the resident was seeking as an outcome to their complaint and asked it if it wanted to engage in our mediation process.
  5. The landlord agreed to take part in our mediation process and confirmed on 13 January 2021, that it would offer the resident a property which matched the criteria they had previously set out to this Service. The landlord specified that it did not currently have a property to offer, but it would contact the resident once a property became available.
  6. On 15 January 2021, we spoke with the resident about the landlord’s offer. They confirmed that the landlord’s agreement to offer a property matching their criteria, when one became available, is a satisfactory resolution to their complaint.
  7. Paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that:
    1. “At any time, the Ombudsman may determine the investigation of a complaint immediately if satisfied that the member has made an offer of redress following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily. This will result in a finding of ‘resolved with intervention’.”
  8. I am therefore satisfied, following the intervention of this Service, that the landlord, has taken actions to remedy the matters raised which resolve the complaint satisfactorily.

 

Recommendations

 

  1.  If the landlord has not already done so, it should contact the resident within 10 working days to explain how the transfer process will be managed and provide details of who they can contact for updates on the availability of a suitable property.

The landlord should provide confirmation to this Service once it has done so.