South East landlord finds over 800 incorrect asbestos records
One Housing found more than 800 incorrect asbestos records following a review ordered by the Housing Ombudsman.
The landlord, which merged with Riverside in late 2021, found that several properties were listed as ‘no risk’, not because the absence of asbestos had been confirmed, but because there was no data available at all.
Some properties were also marked as high risk because old data had not been removed.
One Housing said the inconsistencies were “caused by multiple factors, including external services being brought in-house”.
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This meant that new information was added without records being updated when moving to a new system.
Asbestos was used to insulate boilers, pipes and other parts of buildings until the late 1980s, with white asbestos only banned in 1999.
It is estimated to be present in 1.5 million buildings in the UK, and though it poses a small risk if undisturbed, exposure to asbestos fibres can cause cancer and other diseases.
Since the review, the landlord said it had improved its asbestos record-keeping, reviewed its asbestos safety management plan and recruited for two administrative posts to maintain its asbestos databases and cleansing of records.
One Housing said it had also reviewed its current practice of “placing sole responsibility on a customer to rebook an appointment” and now aims to clearly explain a plan and timeline of works to residents.
It has also reviewed and made changes to its compensation policy.
The ombudsman originally investigated One Housing after a resident complained about a leak and collapsed ceiling.
Repairs took 14 months and the landlord did not have accurate and up-to-date records about the presence of asbestos in the property, the ombudsman said.
The landlord did not assess the condition of the asbestos and could not evidence that it considered temporarily moving the family.
The investigation resulted in a severe maladministration finding over One Housing’s record-keeping for repairs and the presence of asbestos.
In a learning statement, One Housing said it welcomed the report and that Riverside had implemented its systems and processes in relation to asbestos management since the merger.
“We are very sorry for the distress caused to our customer following a leak and a collapsed ceiling and for the repair handling, asbestos record-keeping and complaint-handling.”
Richard Blakeway, the housing ombudsman, said: “The ceiling collapse caused the resident considerable distress, as she worried about her family’s safety, given the potential asbestos risk. The landlord failed to recognise this or learn lessons about how it handled events.
“This was a significant missed opportunity, as the wider review following our investigation reveals the problems with its records on asbestos were not isolated. This shows the power of learning even from just one complaint.”
Inside Housing previously reported that tenants and leaseholders of One Housing said the housing association had failed to address serious disrepair a year into its takeover by Riverside.
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