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London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q) (202409715)

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REPORT

COMPLAINT 202409715

London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q)

25 March 2025


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 help in reaching an agreed settlement.

The complaint

  1. The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of roof repairs and the resident’s subsequent reports of damp and mould.

Determination (decision)

  1. In accordance with paragraph 53.c. of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord has made an offer of redress, following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

How the complaint was resolved

  1. The resident is an assured tenant of a flat owned by the landlord.
  2. The landlord raised works to repair or replace roof vent tiles on 8 January 2024. It noted during a property inspection on 16 February 2024 that the bathroom extractor fan was not working due to a broken pipe in the loft. There was no pipe connected to the kitchen extractor fan. It noted overcrowding in the property and said this may have been a contributing factor to excess moisture build-up. It completed a mould wash and raised repairs for the extractor fans. On 28 February 2024, it noted that it had not allocated the roof repair, and that the resident was unable to use her extractor fans until this was completed.
  3. The resident complained to the landlord on 28 May 2024 about the delay in completing repairs. She reported that water was coming through the vent whenever it rained, and furry mould was filling the property. It said it was sorry that she needed to complain to get her concerns resolved. It booked roofing works for 6 August 2024 and offered compensation of £690 for the identified failures.
  4. However, the resident escalated her complaint to stage 2 of the landlord’s complaints process on 6 June 2024. This followed her reports of a mould mite infestation on 4 June 2024 which she tried to rectify herself. She reported reoccurring mould in most rooms, bubbling paint on the walls, and damp stains. It attended on 13 June 2024 and completed a clean and disinfect of the affected areas but noted mould mites moving around the walls and fridge.
  5. The landlord provided the resident with its final complaint response on 27 July 2024. It apologised for the delayed repairs and said it would attend on 8 August 2024. It did not specify which repairs it would attend for on this date. It said its inspectors told it that the property would keep getting mouldy until it completed the repair. It offered a further £400 in compensation for the identified failures.
  6. The landlord’s contractor attended as planned in August 2024 and found that it needed scaffolding to repair the roof. The resident contacted the Ombudsman about the further delays with this on 10 December 2024 as the landlord had not completed the repairs as promised in its stage 2 response and she was no further forward that she had been in January 2024.
  7. During discussions with the resident in March 2025, she explained to the Ombudsman that she would be happy if the landlord completed the repairs raised in January 2024. She requested a further compensation payment for the extended time taken to complete repairs since its stage 2 complaint response. We therefore contacted both parties in March 2025 to propose resolving the complaint with a date for repairs and compensation, which they agreed to, and it then offered her these.
  8. The resident suggested that her and the landlord discuss a final compensation amount upon completion of repairs. The landlord erected scaffolding on 19 March 2025 and provided a date of 25 March 2025 for roof repairs. It has provided a final completion date for the remaining works of 22 April 2025. The resident has agreed to this.
  9. Paragraph 53 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that: “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.”
  10. I am therefore satisfied, following the intervention of this Service, that the landlord has now taken actions to remedy the matters raised which resolve the complaint satisfactorily.

Recommendation

  1. It is recommended that the resident and landlord agree a final compensation offer and that the landlord makes payment of this, within 4 weeks of the completion of works.