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Landlord failed to install adaptations for two years while child went through chemotherapy
A landlord failed to install adaptations in a home for more than two years after it was told there was urgent need for them because a child was going through chemotherapy.
Rooftop Housing Group failed to grasp concerns raised by an occupational therapist and install bathroom adaptations the child needed, the Housing Ombudsman said.
The housing association was aware of the resident and her daughter’s condition before they moved into the home.
The occupational therapist said the adaptations were needed promptly and the child’s hospital also wrote to Rooftop to emphasise the urgent need for them, adding that otherwise there was risk of “serious infection”.
Rooftop had still not acted on the occupational therapist’s report and installed an adaptation 27 months after it was told it was required.
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The landlord asked the council for disability grant funding, but as this would have taken over a year to obtain, the occupational therapist pleaded with Rooftop to fund it “in light of this little girl’s life-limiting condition”. The landlord did not respond.
Rooftop also knew that the house’s ventilation system was obsolete before the resident moved in, but it still took more than two years to replace it, the ombudsman said.
In its learning from the case, Rooftop said it has restructured the way it handles complaints to focus on early resolution and is reviewing how it delivers aids and adaptations following this investigation. It has also changed its lettings and voids teams process to identify any needs for aids and adaptations at the earliest opportunity.
Boris Worrall, chief executive of Rooftop Housing Group, said: “The service that this customer received was not good enough and I apologise.
“We have made a number of improvements since these issues arose in 2022. We are also reviewing how we deliver aids and adaptations to ensure that they are as appropriate, responsive and sensitive to the needs of all customers as possible.”
The case was revealed in the ombudsman’s latest Learning from Severe Maladministration report, which focused on landlords’ responses to the health needs of their residents.
The document featured 35 investigations where residents asked for an adaptation to their home, including facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms, or a service change because of vulnerabilities.
In one case, a resident was largely confined to one room because of trouble accessing rooms in their wheelchair for eight years.
Meanwhile, another landlord did not provide adequate evacuation plans for a disabled resident in case of a fire.
There are also cases of residents not being communicated with effectively, including an autistic resident who suffered significant distress after her landlord failed to make reasonable adjustments when communicating with her.
Richard Blakeway, the housing ombudsman, said the report exposed “callous and uncaring systems and processes”.
He said: “Time and again, these cases reveal communication that is unreliable, inconsistent and unsophisticated for the complexity of the circumstances. Some cases may indicate cultural issues, with communication adopting a tone and approach that is both dismissive and disrespectful of residents. This is another aspect of the stigma that can exist towards social tenants.”
Mr Blakeway said this extended to other cases not featured in the report, including poor communication with a terminally ill resident who was caring for her disabled children and a disabled resident sleeping on their sofa for 18 months.
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