11 December 2024
Ombudsman urges the sector to overcome its ‘complacency’ towards dealing with hazards ahead of Awaab’s Law introduction
The Housing Ombudsman has released its latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report, focusing on hazards that it sees in its casework ahead of the introduction of Awaab’s Law.
With the important role that social housing has to play in giving safe and secure housing to millions, the learning in these reports should help landlords provide effective services that protect this aspiration.
The report is set out by hazard category, sometimes multiple, and show the significant harm that can be caused when hazards are not identified and then dealt with effectively. Hazards covered include contaminated water supply, risk of falls, unsafe electrics as well as damp and mould.
In one case, a landlord failed to deal with a pest infestation, leaving dead rats and an awful smell in the home, despite conducting a home condition survey during this time which found there were no issues present. In another case, in which the landlord failed to deal with a carbon monoxide leak or consider the impact this could have on other residents in the block.
In other cases, children were living in a home with exposed electrical wires or holes in the floor large enough to fall through.
Landlords highlighted in this report are:
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