Miss A complained on behalf of Adra’s (“the Housing Association”) tenant, that it had failed to fix a water leak at the property since May 2023. Miss A said that the leak had caused damp and mould inside the property.
The Ombudsman decided that the Housing Association had attempted to resolve the issue on the exterior of the property, but it had not kept the tenant updated. The Housing Association had recently offered the tenant compensation for damage to belongings and the loss of use of rooms, but it had not responded to the recent reports of damp and mould, and it had not addressed the damage caused to the interior of the property. The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without an investigation.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Housing Association’s agreement within 1 month, to offer the tenant an apology, agree the total compensation and make the payment, offer a contractor to redecorate the damaged interior, confirm the details of the repair, reassure the tenant that should the problem persist the response will be rapid and any damage rectified, to arrange a damp meter reading at the property and complete any necessary action arising.