Housing associations and local authorities must prioritise people-focused building repair services to avoid serious failings, according to a new Housing Ombudsman report.
Following the introduction of Awaab’s Law, the latest Severe Maladministration report outlines the importance of connecting the household’s circumstances to the condition of the property.
It highlights a number of complaints from residents where the poor condition of their property has raised serious health and safety concerns.
Among the cases is a domestic abuse survivor who lived with a faulty entry door for nine months and another survivor who reported anxiety about being unable to lock a door.
In other cases, a ceiling collapsed on a child’s bed while they were asleep, another child was exposed to live electrical cables, and another hurt themselves on uneven flooring after repairs took 18 months.
The report found that an inefficient approach to organising appointments for repairs is a significant issue that needs to be addressed.
It also highlights the tension which can exist between responsive repairs and planned works, especially where faulty windows are concerned. These cases suggest that some housing associations and local authorities are relying on later works when more immediate action to mitigate risks may be necessary.
Customer-focused approach
In light of the report’s findings, housing ombudsman Richard Blakeway has urged landlords to always “see the person behind the repair”.
“In these cases, had individual circumstances been adequately considered by the landlords when making decisions, the outcomes could have been different,” Blakeway said.
“Instead, we see the impact of services failures exacerbated because the residents are disabled, domestic abuse survivors or children. And these cases show the importance of a customer focus in one particular area: appointments.
“Throughout these cases, repairs appointments do not take place. This is inefficient for landlords and can waste residents’ time. A missed appointment can trigger a series of events from which the landlord finds it hard to recover.”
Blakeway added: “It is important for residents to allow access for landlords to do repairs. But these cases indicate inadequate or outdated systems or approaches to appointments that lack a customer focus.”
