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Double severe maladministration after G15 landlord left disabled resident in mouldy home for 19 months
The Housing Ombudsman has made a double severe maladministration finding for Catalyst Housing after a disabled resident and her child were left in a mouldy home for 19 months.
The resident’s driveway was also left in disrepair for more than a year, despite the landlord being aware that she has mobility issues and needs to use a wheelchair at times.
The resident is also asthmatic and has heart problems.
More than five months after she complained about the damaged driveway to Catalyst, the association responded saying it would “see what it could do about this”.
A year after the damage was first reported, Catalyst had still failed to inspect or repair it.
The watchdog’s investigation found that Catalyst “did not do enough in line with the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination” and “ensure that the resident was not subjected to a substantial disadvantage in being able to access her home”.
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Ombudsman makes severe maladministration finding after resident left with leaking roof for six years
The issues happened ahead of Catalyst’s merger with Peabody, which completed in March.
The findings come after a special investigation, published on the eve of the merger, revealed that Catalyst failed to look into a complaint about a premature baby with health complications living in a cold, defective new build property for four months.
The ombudsman found repeated complaint-handling failures by the housing association. The double maladministration finding was not included in the special report.
It took Catalyst six months after the resident first reported issues with damp and mould to inspect the property. This was only when she made a formal complaint.
The ombudsman found a “worrying lack of record keeping”, with little to be found on what the inspection uncovered and evidence that Catalyst “did not appreciate or investigate the whole issue”. It recommended extractor fans be installed instead of works to guttering or the roof where there was reportedly a water leak.
The resident complained fortnightly about the issues but records suggest that Catalyst took “little action”. The ombudsman ordered Catalyst to pay £3,500 in compensation and arrange a full inspection of the property and building and complete any outstanding works.
The severe maladministration findings relate to the failure to address the damp and mould and to fix the driveway, while the ombudsman also found maladministration for the landlord’s complaint-handling.
Richard Blakeway, the housing ombudsman, said: “Throughout this case, there is evidence of the landlord not taking the resident’s concerns seriously enough and not acting with the urgency required.
“The length of time that the resident and her son have had to deal with the issues, and the number of times they have had to raise it with the landlord, is unacceptable.
“The landlord had the opportunity to rectify these issues during the complaints process but failed to do so.”
In a statement provided to the ombudsman, Catalyst said: “We are terribly sorry that this customer was let down.
“Everyone has the right to live in a safe and well-maintained home, free from damp and mould, and residents should expect to have any issues dealt with quickly and efficiently.
“Catalyst didn’t do that in this case, and we are working to put things right.
“Although issues have not been resolved as quickly as we would have liked, we have been in regular contact with the resident throughout and agreed to pay £3,500 in compensation by way of apology.”
It said it has reviewed and tightened procedures and increased resources to ensure it is better at handling repairs, managing complaints, keeping records up to date and, most importantly, communicating with residents.
“We were involved in the Better Social Housing Review and the priorities in our refreshed group strategy, published after the completion of our merger in April, are closely aligned with this,” Catalyst said.
“We are working to improve overall services for residents at a more local level and prioritising investment in our existing homes. We are listening and using every opportunity to make things right, learn lessons and improve.”
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