"Nine-month long delay in addressing a complaint resulted in a resident living in distress"
In a recent development, Ealing Council has acknowledged shortcomings in its housing services and is taking steps to improve, following a severe maladministration finding by the Housing Ombudsman.
The council's response time to a resident's complaint was particularly criticised, taking nine months to address the issue. The complaint was related to a leak from the flat above, and additional maladministration was found in the council's handling of reports of the leak and noise from plumbing.
The Housing Ombudsman's findings have allowed Ealing Council to identify areas where their standards of service were not up to par. As a result, the council has overhauled its complaints handling process and is seeking a new contractor to improve services for residents.
The resident, who had to message the landlord on various occasions to get a response, finally received a visit from the council landlord, who made some repairs. However, the issue was still ongoing.
In a statement, Ealing Council acknowledged that its procedures and communication failed to meet expected standards in this case. The council landlord has also recognised the impact of its shortcomings on the resident's experience.
In response to the findings, the Housing Ombudsman ordered the council to pay the resident £1,225 in compensation. The Ombudsman has also stated that they will exercise their powers more in this area as the Complaint Handling Code becomes statutory under the Social Housing Regulation Bill.
Ealing Council is committed to providing high-quality housing services to its residents. The Director of Customer Services is responsible for revising the complaints management processes to ensure improvements are made.
To further support landlords in complying with the Complaint Handling Code, the Housing Ombudsman is hosting monthly drop-in sessions. This provides an opportunity for landlords to ask questions or seek guidance on compliance.
Ealing Council takes complaints and grievances very seriously and is determined to learn from this experience to provide better services for its residents in the future.
