Ms A, who was a tenant of Hafod Housing Association (“the Association”) complained about a delay in undertaking repairs at her home which she said was affecting her health and wellbeing. Consequently, she had also applied for a transfer although would preferably want to stay at the property. Ms A also noted a medical need for requiring a downstairs toilet to be installed, but had not heard about this either.
In noting some restrictions on what the Ombudsman might achieve, as he has no role in determining offers of properties or when a transfer might be achieved, he was, nonetheless, concerned at the delay in completing identified repairs (from a survey undertaken on 21 August 2021). Having contacted the Association, the Ombudsman was satisfied that the transfer request had been registered and assessed properly and Ms A was on the appropriate active lists. As an alternative to investigation, the Ombudsman felt the matter could otherwise be resolved by the Association undertaking the following actions, which it agreed to do:
(a) To apologise in writing for the delay in completing the outstanding repairs (within 1 month).
(b) To offer Ms A redress of £100 for her time and trouble in raising these issues with both the Association and the Ombudsman (within 1 month).
(c) To fully complete the works (including those identified by the survey conducted on 23 August 2021) within 6 weeks.
(d) To progress a request to the local authority’s Occupational Therapy (OT) services for an assessment regarding the need for, and
installation of, a downstairs toilet at the property within 1 month.
(e) To consider the OT report and advise Ms A of the Association’s decision about installation of the downstairs toilet within 1 month of receiving the OT report.
