Ms A complained that Cardiff Council (“the Council”) had failed to maintain the flat she resided in. She stated that some work had been carried out over the past year but that there were still issues that required further attention. Ms A was unhappy with the written response she had received from the Council.
The outstanding issues were that;
1) There were cracks in the ceiling and leaks in kitchen and bathroom. The floors of flat have cracks in them and get wet when the weather is inclement, especially during the winter months.
2) She was also concerned that some of her furniture and clothing had mould on them and had to be disposed of or cleaned. She stated that she could not provide evidence to confirm this.
3) The flat had not been decorated after the works that were recently carried out by the Council regarding the other issues she complained of.
It was found that the Council had carried out some repairs to the flat over the past year and had recently inspected the flat, deciding that the defects reported were decorative in nature. Decorative issues are the tenants responsibility under the Council’s tenancy agreement.
The Ombudsman, however, found that there appeared to have been no inspection by the Council during the winter period, when Ms A stated that the issues complained of were at their worst.
The Council was contacted and it agreed to an early voluntary resolution by;
1) Writing a letter to Ms A offering her an appointment for a suitably qualified staff member to inspect the condition of her home during the week commencing 29 November 2021.
2) Providing her with a written report following its inspection, listing any proposed action if any defects, which are the Council’s responsibility, are found. The report should be provided to her within 14 working days of the inspection visit.
The Council’s original letter offering an appointment should be sent to the complainant within 14 days of the date of this decision letter.