Repairs and maintenance (inc dampness/improvements and alterations eg central heating. double glazing) : Cardiff Council Report Date 22/03/2024 Case Against Cardiff Council Subject Repairs and maintenance (inc dampness/improvements and alterations eg central heating. double glazing) Case Reference Number 202307775 Outcome Early resolution Mr A complained that the Council delayed carrying out repairs due to damage from damp and mould to his property. Further, that the Council said that damage to his items was due to a lack of ventilation in the property, and that problems of damp and mould had continued despite repairs having been completed.
The Ombudsman found that there was a lack of evidence provided by the Council that the damp and mould was a result of condensation. The Council had undertaken works to the outside of the property and acknowledged there was penetrative damp in the property. There was a lack of evidence that the Council had considered this as a potential cause of the damp and mould.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Council’s agreement to, within 28 days, undertake a full independent damp and mould survey of the property, to identify the likely cause of the damp, and ensure that works completed to date, and proposed, were appropriate to address the issue. The Council also agreed to, within 10 working days of the survey, provide Mr A with the findings of the inspection, and if the survey supported that he was not wholly responsible for the damp issue, the Council agreed to make a financial contribution towards the damaged furnishings.