This report is issued under s.23 of the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019.

We have taken steps to protect the identity of the complainant and others, as far as possible. The name of the complainant and others has been changed as well.

Miss Y complained about the way her landlord, Flintshire County Council, had responded to reports of damp and mould in her home and whether it had taken appropriate action to provide alternative accommodation.

The investigation found that the Council failed to identify that Miss Y had made numerous repair requests regarding the same issue. Repair requests were treated in isolation. Officers visited Miss Y’s home on numerous occasions to address new issues, whilst previous repair requests remained outstanding. As such there were many missed opportunities to identify damp and mould and carry out work to address this.

The Council did not act in a timely manner once the extent of the works needed to Miss Y’s home were known. Miss Y and her children were left living in unacceptable conditions for 5 months after the Council became aware of damp in her home.

The Ombudsman was concerned that the failings identified in this case may be systemic. The failings identified in this case, particularly in relation to identifying and responding to repeated repair requests, are ones from which other organisations can learn.

The Ombudsman made a number of recommendations, which the Council accepted.

Within 1 month:

a) Acknowledge and apologise to Miss Y for the failings identified in this report.

b) In addition to the offer of £500 already made by the Council, to offer Miss Y a further financial redress payment of £1,258. This comprises £1,008 for losses of furniture and possessions and £250 for the distress caused to her by the failings identified in this report, making total redress of £1,758.

c) Ensure officers from the Housing and Communities department are reminded of the requirement to fully and accurately complete paperwork.

d) Contact Miss Y to obtain details of any outstanding work to her current home and provide her with a schedule of works detailing when these will be completed.

Within 3 months:

e) Develop a process to ensure that repeated repair requests are identified, recorded and escalated for further investigation ensuring a holistic approach is taken to repair requests.

f) Develop guidance on the circumstances in which Tenant Liaison Officers should be allocated, ensuring it also undergoes an Equality Impact Assessment prior to implementation.

g) Develop a more specific decant policy that sets out the actions the Council will take, and the responsibilities of both the Council and the Contract Holder.

h) Review policies and procedures for conducting and accurately recording pre-letting inspections.

1. Miss Y complained that her landlord, Flintshire County Council (“the Council”), did not take appropriate action regarding reports of damp and mould in her home. The investigation considered whether:

a) The Council responded appropriately to reports of damp and mould made by Miss Y between September 2018 and December 2023.

b) The action taken by the Council to secure alternative accommodation for Miss Y and her family was timely, appropriate and in accordance with relevant policies and procedures.

2. I considered evidence obtained from the Council and Miss Y. I have not included every detail investigated in this report, but I am satisfied that nothing of significance has been overlooked.

3. Both Miss Y and the Council were given the opportunity to see and comment on a draft of this report before the final version was issued.

4. The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (“the Act”). Part 4 of the Act places obligations on landlords regarding the condition of the homes that they let. These include ensuring a dwelling is both in repair and fit for human habitation. Section 92 of the Act states that a “landlord under a secure contract…must – keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling”. Section 97 of the Act states that a landlord’s obligations under section 92 do not arise until they become aware that repair works are necessary. Section 97 also states that a landlord has complied with the obligations of section 92 if it carries out the necessary works or repairs within a reasonable time.

5. The Right Stuff – Hearing the Tenants’ Voice (“the Tenant Involvement Guidance”), Welsh Government, 2019. This found that the culture, values and behaviour of an organisation are critical to engaging with tenants. This includes a “focus on constructive, honest, open and respectful relationships” between tenants and landlords.

6. Social Housing Conditions and Disrepair: Feedback to Social Landlords (“the Disrepair Feedback”), Welsh Government, February 2022. In relation to disrepair;

• “Think point 2” states that “Social landlords should have processes, systems and a culture of ownership to enable issues to be readily identified and easily escalated to the attention of the right people”.
• “Think point 5” states that “Social landlords should continue to provide an appropriate repairs and maintenance service whilst properties are occupied, even if they are pending re-development”.
• “Think point 9” states that “Social landlords should ensure measures are in place to specifically identify and address reported issues with damp and mould. This should include investigations/inspections by default, ensuring condensation and its causes are accurately diagnosed, rectifying any defects as promptly as possible and supporting tenants with help and advice”.

7. The Welsh Housing Quality Standard (“the WHQS”) 2023 (last updated in April 2024) sets out the standards expected for social housing in Wales, against which landlords are measured. This requires homes to be “free from damp”, including persistent condensation. All measures to upgrade the ventilation in a home must be taken, specifically in relation to ensuring adequate ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms.

8. The Council’s Housing Management Policy, approved January 2024. In relation to decants (where a resident is required to vacate their home for a period of time) it states that “our aim is to minimise disruption and to return a contract holder to their home as soon as possible and to cause them the minimum inconvenience and cost”.

9. All public bodies must comply with the Human Rights Act 1998, which incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights (“the Convention”) into UK law. Article 8 of the Convention provides individuals with the right to respect for private and family life.

10. It is not my function to make definitive findings about whether a public body has breached an individual’s human rights by its actions (or inaction). However, when considering whether there has been maladministration or service failure on the part of a public body, I may consider whether public bodies have regard for human rights while they are performing their functions when this is a relevant consideration. Accordingly, I will identify where human rights are engaged and comment when there is evidence that a public body has not had sufficient regard for them.

11. The Ombudsman’s Principles of Good Administration, issued by my predecessor¹, provides guidance for all public bodies in Wales to follow.

• Principle 2 is “Being Customer Focused” by dealing with people helpfully, promptly and sensitively, bearing in mind their individual circumstances.
• Principle 4 is “Acting Fairly and Proportionately” by dealing with people impartially and with respect, ensuring decisions are free from bias and have regard to individual circumstances.
• Principle 5 is “Putting Things Right” by acknowledging mistakes and taking prompt action to put things right.

Public Bodies in Wales must have regard to this guidance when discharging their functions.

12. The Ombudsman’s Good Records Management Matters² which details the importance of good record keeping in public services and the potential impact of failing to do so.

13. Living in Disrepair³ – the Ombudsman’s thematic report about housing disrepair and damp and mould complaints to our office (“the Thematic Report”), November 2024 which reported on complaints received regarding damp, mould and poor conditions in social housing. The Thematic Report also considered the quality of pre-letting inspections, recommending that landlords undertake full and proper pre-letting inspections and complete all necessary works before an occupier moves in.

1 Principles of Good Administration – Under section 34 of the PSOW Act 2019

2 Good Records Management Matters

3 Living in Disrepair

14. The property that would become Miss Y’s home was returned to the Council in August 2015. A letter from a family member of the previous tenant to the Council dated 28 August stated that the walls were black with damp. Prior to Miss Y moving in work was undertaken to treat mould in the property. A Vacant Property Information Record dated 2 September recorded the condition of the property as “average” without any mention of damp issues. No reason was given for this rating and no photographs were taken. Under a section headed “Are there any risks in the property?” a list of dates were written. A Tenancy Offer Checklist dated 7 October recorded that Miss Y would be given a full allowance of decoration vouchers as the property had been plastered throughout. The section of the checklist that details if the tenant is satisfied with the property was not completed. Miss Y moved into the property on 12 October 2015.

15. In September 2017 Miss Y made her first recorded report of damp. Records show that an inspection was attempted in November, but Council officers were unable to access Miss Y’s home. It is not clear if this appointment was arranged in advance of the visit. In January 2022 Miss Y reported issues with damp again, and the Council treated a bathroom cupboard with antifungal wash. In January 2024, the Council recorded that works were undertaken to “rectify mould and condensation issues” in Miss Y’s home. The record refers to photographs being taken at that time. However, in response to this investigation the Council has said that when it attended, no mould was present, so no photographs were taken.

16. In August 2020 a repair was logged with the Council to replace the hinges to the lounge door in Miss Y’s home. During the time period covered by this investigation a further 9 repairs to the internal doors on the ground floor of Miss Y’s home were carried out, with many of the repair descriptions referring to the door coming away from the frame. In one report it is documented that Miss Y had said the wood of the door frame was rotten.

17. In February 2022 Miss Y reported a large crack in a bedroom wall, which posed a risk to her children. An inspection undertaken at the time recorded the need for work to be carried out. In May 2022, Miss Y made another report regarding the cracks in the plaster around windows. An inspection was attempted but not completed. Records from November 2023 refer to the need to repair plaster surrounding a bedroom door and windows. This repair was later recorded as cancelled in January 2024.

18. In March 2023 Miss Y reported water entering a bedroom. An officer attended on 19 April but did not access the property. They recorded that Miss Y was on her way out and that “there was somebody else in the house but didn’t seem interested”.

19. In December the Council received an estimate of works required to Miss Y’s home from a private specialist damp proofing company (“the First Company”). It is not evident from the records what prompted the report. This recommended extensive damp proofing works be carried out to address rising damp (where moisture from the ground moves upwards through the structure of a building). However, no immediate action was taken.

20. In January 2024 Miss Y made further reports of leaks in a bedroom. She also sent pictures of mould in her home to her local councillor. These were shared with officers in the Housing and Communities department.

21. In February a request to install new extractor fans in Miss Y’s home was cancelled by the Council with a note reading “load of damp in property. Tenant moving out for major renovation work…no point installing new fans at this time”. A second private company (“the Second Company”) sent a report and recommendations to the Council’s Builders Team Leader Housing Repairs (“the Builders Team Leader”). This survey was carried out as the First Company had said they would not be able to start work at Miss Y’s home until March. They advised extensive works were needed to Miss Y’s home. The Builders Team Leader shared the report with colleagues, advising them that alternative accommodation would need to be found for Miss Y whilst work was being carried out. Shortly afterwards a Housing Officer (“the Housing Officer”) contacted Miss Y and advised her of 4 potential properties, 1 of which Miss Y felt was suitable for her family.

22. The Housing Officer also emailed the Council’s Capital Works Team Manager and the Builders Team Leader enquiring about the extent of works required to Miss Y’s home. She also asked if a Tenant Liaison Officer (“TLO” – acts as a first point of contact between a resident and the Council, ensuring residents are kept informed about planned works) had been assigned to Miss Y, who was very anxious about the work and having to leave her home, especially as she was a single parent. The Builders Team Leader replied, copying in the Capital Works Team Manager. He stated that “all works that need to be done will be done” and that Miss Y was “not alone she has a boyfriend as he has spoken to the contractor”. He said that once Miss Y had left the property works would take approximately 1 month.

23. In March 2024 Miss Y made a formal complaint to the Council detailing her ongoing issues with damp and mould. She said that she had suffered financial losses and asked if she could stay at her new property permanently, and not just for the 4 weeks that the Council anticipated would be needed to carry out work. This was because of the extent of works required to her former home and the stress caused by having to move again. In response the Council offered Miss Y £500. It also said that work was underway to allow Miss Y to stay at her new property permanently, and that the Council would arrange for it to be decorated.

24. Once Miss Y had left her home, the Council established that the works required were more significant than anticipated. The First and Second Companies had recommended that the kitchen and bathroom be removed to allow extensive damp related works to be carried out to the ground floor of Miss Y’s home. On inspection it was found that in addition to this, significant work was also needed to the upstairs of Miss Y’s home including removing plaster, and the demolition and replacement of an internal wall and part of a ceiling.

25. Miss Y complained to the Ombudsman in June 2024 stating that the Council had not responded appropriately to her reports of damp and mould in her home, which she had been making since September 2018. Despite being told the calls were being logged, Miss Y said that no appointments to assess the issue were made. She said that when Council officers visited her home to carry out other repairs, she would raise the damp and mould issues with them but was told they could only deal with the job currently assigned to them. Miss Y said that decorating works to her new home were left incomplete and that she had completed the decorating work herself. Miss Y also said that other repairs were outstanding to her new property.

26. Miss Y said that as a result of not being allocated a TLO she had to repeatedly contact the Council for updates, causing her inconvenience and stress. At the time of making her complaint to the Ombudsman the Council had not issued formal confirmation that Miss Y could remain in her new property permanently. This was a source of concern to her, as she was worried that the Council could require her and her children to move home again (the Council has since confirmed that Miss Y can remain in her current home).

27. Miss Y said that living in a home with damp and mould had led to both herself and her children suffering recurrent chest infections and that her youngest child had been diagnosed with asthma (a lung condition which causes breathing difficulties). Due to them becoming damaged by mould, Miss Y said that she had to dispose of furniture, clothing and other possessions. She said that her education and employment had been negatively affected due to the amount of time it had taken to raise issues with the Council over a number of years. Miss Y said that she did not feel that the Council had listened to her, and that this had affected her mental health as she was constantly worried about the impact of the conditions in her home on her and her children. She wanted the Council to apologise for its failings, to put measures in place to stop these occurring again and for redress to be considered due to her financial losses.

28. Not all the evidence provided by the Council has been repeated here, because much of it has been outlined in the above “background events” section of this report.

29. The Council said it first became aware that damp proofing works were needed in Miss Y’s property on 8 December 2023 when it received the report from the First Company. It said that prior to this there was no evidence of an issue with rising damp in Miss Y’s home. It said that the damp and mould in Miss Y’s home was not severe, and that a decision was made to offer alternative accommodation because of the disruption the planned works would cause. In respect of repairs to internal doors in Miss Y’s home the Council said that there was evidence that damage or misuse may have contributed to this.

30. The Council said that housing officers were informed on 5 February 2024 that Miss Y would need alternative accommodation, and that a suitable property was identified on 7 February, noting that Miss Y was happy to move into the property despite it being undecorated, as it was initially intended that she would only be living there for 4 weeks. It said that on 23 May a report was completed requesting that Miss Y stay permanently at this property, and that Miss Y signed an occupancy agreement to this effect on 1 July.

31. The Council did not supply a specific policy on the allocation of TLOs. When asked for its policy regarding decants, it referred to the Housing Management Policy. It said that it would not be usual to appoint a TLO in a situation such as Miss Y’s and that her Housing Officer was acting as single point of contact.

32. Details of service changes made since the events referred to in this investigation were provided by the Council. These included greater use of photographs to document the condition of properties and changes to the way tenancy checklists are completed.

a) Whether the Council responded appropriately to reports of damp and mould made by Miss Y between September 2018 and December 2023.

33. Between September 2018 and December 2023, Council officers made repeated visits to Miss Y’s home in response to repair requests. The evidence I reviewed indicates that the Council failed to identify that numerous repair requests had been made for Miss Y’s home, often concerning the same issue. Consequently, these requests were not escalated to the attention of the appropriate people. This is contrary to point 2 of the Disrepair Feedback. In failing to respond appropriately the Council also did not fulfil its obligations under the Act to keep Miss Y’s home in good repair. If appropriate action had been taken, I consider that the rising damp in Miss Y’s home would likely have been identified sooner. These serious failings had a significant impact on Miss Y and her children.

34. The Thematic Report: Living in Disrepair I recently issued, details the importance of comprehensive and accurate pre-letting inspections in improving conditions for occupiers. In Miss Y’s case, the Vacant Property Information Record was not fully completed, and it is unclear why the condition of the property was rated as “average”. As no photographs were taken when the property was returned to the Council, it is not possible to verify the statements made by the family of the outgoing tenant regarding damp although the Council has recorded undertaking work to treat mould when the property became vacant. The walls were re-plastered prior to Miss Y moving in, an action which would have prevented any damp from being visible at the time Miss Y viewed the property.

35. I am also concerned about the accuracy and completeness of records held by the Council in relation to this case. The failures regarding the pre-letting inspection are compounded by the fact that the Tenancy Offer Checklist was also not fully completed, meaning there is no record of whether Miss Y raised any concerns regarding the property prior to moving in. The Council has not been able to supply copies of photographs recorded as being taken when repairs were carried out. It has also not been possible to establish from the records what prompted the inspection by the First Company that led to the discovery of rising damp. The Council has said that damage or misuse may have contributed to the need for repairs to the internal doors in Miss Y’s home, but I have seen no evidence this was raised with her at the time.

36. Some evidence provided by the Council is inconsistent and unreliable. On 17 January 2024 repairs were raised in relation to damp and mould in Miss Y’s home. An inspection the previous month by the First Company recommended extensive damp proofing work, as did an inspection by the Second Company the following month. On 21 January 2024 Miss Y sent pictures of mould in her home to her local councillor, which were shared with officers from the Housing and Communities department. Despite this, the Council said that when it attended on 22 January there was no mould at the property.

37. Miss Y said that she had made regular reports of damp and mould in her home to the Council from September 2018. This is not reflected in the records I have received from the Council. However, due to the lack of available records as outlined above, I am concerned about the accuracy and completeness of the records kept by the Council in relation to this issue.

38. From the records I have seen it does not appear that any work was undertaken to address the issues reported in the bedrooms of Miss Y’s home until she left the property in April 2024. I acknowledge that the Council recorded 2 occasions where it was unable to access Miss Y’s home in relation to these works. The Council’s records indicate that officers entered Miss Y’s home over 20 times from February 2022 in relation to repairs. I am concerned that when these appointments were made it was not recognised that there were further works outstanding, with each repair request being treated in isolation. As such I consider that there were many missed opportunities to investigate these reports further and carry out any necessary works.

39. It is clear is that there were outstanding repairs to the fabric of Miss Y’s home that the Council was aware of. As such the Council was under a legal duty under the Act to keep the property in good repair. It was only when Miss Y vacated the property for repairs to be undertaken, that a further inspection found that extensive repairs were also needed to the upstairs of her home.

40. The Council did not upgrade extractor fans in Miss Y’s home as it had been identified that she needed alternative accommodation. This appears to have been contrary to the Disrepair Feedback which states that social landlords should continue to provide an appropriate repairs service whilst a property is occupied. It also appears to have been contrary to the WHQS which specifically recommends adequate ventilation of kitchens and bathrooms. Miss Y continued to occupy the property for a further 2 months after the decision not to upgrade the extractor fans was made.

41. The Council’s failure to respond appropriately to reports of damp and mould in Miss Y’s home and to resolve the issue amounts to service failure on the Council’s part. In December 2023 the Council was aware that extensive works to address damp were needed to Miss Y’s home. The damp and mould damage within the house would have taken time to reach the severe level it did. During this time, Miss Y resided at the property with her children. The link between poor housing conditions and ill-health has been well documented (as outlined in our Thematic Report: Living in Disrepair). While it cannot be definitively established that the conditions in Miss Y’s home caused the health issues she and her children have reported, the existence of damp and mould may have had a negative impact on their health. I understand that this issue is a cause of concern for her.

42. The failure to maintain accurate and complete records also amounts to maladministration and is contrary to my office’s Good Records Management Matters guidance for public bodies. This failing was significant as the Council did not act in accordance with the Act, the Disrepair Feedback or the WHQS. Had it done so, the damp issues in Miss Y’s home would likely have been identified sooner. Given that it is likely that Miss Y’s case records would have been recorded in the same way as the Council’s other housing records, I am concerned that the failure to maintain good administrative records is a systemic failure on the Council’s part. The failure to keep accurate records over a number of years in Miss Y’s case is unlikely to have been isolated to her case and suggests that this administrative failure may be more widespread in relation to the Council’s management of housing repairs more generally. The service failure and maladministration caused an injustice to Miss Y and her family who lived in a damp home for an extended period of Miss Y has described the impact this has had on her both financially and emotionally. This part of Miss Y’s complaint is upheld.

b) Whether the action taken by the Council to secure alternative accommodation for Miss Y and her family was timely, reasonable and in accordance with relevant policies and procedures.

43. The Council was aware of the extensive work needed to Miss Y’s home on 8 December 2023. It was not until 5 February 2024, when the report was received from the Second Company, that it decided to secure alternative accommodation for Miss Y and her family. This delay over the winter period, when Miss Y and her children were living in accommodation which the Council knew was significantly impacted by damp, was unacceptable.

44. When the Council decided that alternative accommodation should be found for Miss Y, the action it took was reasonable. I have seen evidence that several properties were discussed with Miss Y and that her views were taken into consideration. Whilst there was a delay of some weeks before Miss Y could move, I am satisfied that this was because work needed to be undertaken to the property she was moving to.

45. When the Housing Officer enquired about the allocation of a TLO, she was told that Miss Y was “not alone she has a boyfriend” and the issue of a TLO was not progressed any further. The Council has not provided a specific policy on the allocation of TLOs, but in relation to decants, its Housing Management policy states that it will aim to minimise disruption and cause the minimum inconvenience and cost. The Housing Officer identified that Miss Y was anxious about the work needed to her home and the process of moving. I consider that the allocation of a TLO to Miss Y may have reduced this anxiety and the inconvenience and disruption she experienced. In any event, I cannot see the relevance of Miss Y’s relationship status to the decision regarding whether she should be allocated a TLO.

46. Over 2 months elapsed between the time when the Capital Works Manager told Miss Y she would be able to stay at her new property permanently and when she signed the new occupation contract. It is not clear what caused this delay which was a source of stress to Miss Y who feared having to move home again.

47. The Council committed to decorating Miss Y’s new property, once it had been agreed that she could stay there permanently. As Miss Y was not given a new occupancy contract until the beginning of July, these works did not begin until later that month. Miss Y has said that whilst the work was started, it was not completed, and she eventually did this herself. She has also said there are repair works needed to her new home which the Council has failed to undertake.

48. I consider that contrary to the Council’s stated aims in the Housing Management Policy, Miss Y experienced avoidable disruption and inconvenience during the decant process. She was initially unsure about whether she would be decanted from her home. When she did move home, she was told this would only be for approximately 4 weeks. If the Council had responded appropriately to the issues raised by Miss Y regarding the bedrooms of her home, it would likely have discovered that significant work was required to these rooms. When it became apparent that work would take substantially longer than 4 weeks, she faced uncertainty about whether she would be able to stay in her new home and as a result, decoration works agreed by the Council were delayed. This was a source of stress and had a negative impact on her ability to settle into her new property.

49. I consider that the way the Council communicated with Miss Y was not in accordance with the Tenant Involvement Guidance which states that relationships between tenants and landlords should be “constructive, honest, open and respectful”. Comments such as occupants “not seeming interested in repairs” and “Miss Y having a boyfriend” on the records which were available were neither constructive or respectful. I am also concerned that, despite the email regarding “Miss Y having a boyfriend” being copied to a manager, this does not appear to have been challenged. I would remind the Council of Principle 4 of the Principles of Good Administration issued by my office, which states that public bodies should act fairly and proportionately and make decisions which are free from bias.

50. The Council was not always open in the way it communicated with Miss Y, as demonstrated by Miss Y’s uncertainty about the extent of work needed to her home, the Council’s plan to address this and whether she would be able to remain in her new home. This is contrary to Principle 2 and Principle 5 of the Principles of Good Administration, which state that public bodies should put things right by acknowledging mistakes and taking prompt action to rectify them.

51. The Council did not act in a timely manner once the extent of the works needed to Miss Y’s home were known. Miss Y was left living in unacceptable conditions for 5 months after the Council became aware of significant damp in her home. Miss Y was also subject to disruption and inconvenience, contrary to the Council’s Housing Management Policy. This is maladministration and an injustice to her. As the Council does not have specific policies on decants or the allocation of TLOs, I am concerned that the failings identified in this investigation could be ongoing. I uphold this part of Miss Y’s complaint.

52. The failings identified in this investigation are significant. The Council missed opportunities to identify damp in Miss Y’s home sooner. When it became aware that extensive work in relation to damp was needed, it did not take timely action to secure alternative accommodation. As a result, Miss Y and her children were left living in a home that the Council knew to be severely impacted by damp during some of the coldest months of the year. I am concerned that the failings identified in this case may be systematic. The Council does not have detailed policies on the decanting process or the assignment of TLOs. The failings identified in this case, particularly in relation to identifying and responding to repeated repair requests, are ones from which other organisations can learn. It is for these reasons I consider this report to be of wider public interest.

53. Article 8 of the Convention requires public bodies to have respect for the homes and family lives of individuals. Respect can include ensuring homes are maintained in a good state of repair and listening and taking appropriate action when issues I consider that Article 8 was engaged by the circumstances of this complaint, as the Council failed to keep Miss Y’s home in a good state of repair, and did not act appropriately when it became aware of the presence of damp within her home. As such a situation arose where the right of Miss Y to have her home and family life respected may have been compromised.

54. I recommend that within 1 month of the date of this report the Council should:

a) Acknowledge and apologise to Miss Y for the failings identified in this report.

b) In addition to the offer of £500 already made by the Council, to offer Miss Y a further financial redress payment of £1,258. This comprises £1,008 for losses of furniture and possessions and £250 for the distress caused to her by the failings identified in this report, making total redress of £1,758.

c) Ensure officers from the Housing and Communities department are reminded of the requirement to fully and accurately complete paperwork.

d) Contact Miss Y to obtain details of any outstanding work to her current home and provide her with a schedule of works detailing when these will be completed.

55. I recommend that within 3 months of the date of this report the Council should:

e) Develop a process to ensure that repeated repair requests are identified, recorded and escalated for further investigation ensuring a holistic approach is taken to repair requests.

f) Develop guidance on the circumstances in which Tenant Liaison Officers should be allocated, ensuring it also undergoes an Equality Impact Assessment prior to implementation.

g) Develop a more specific decant policy that sets out the actions the Council will take, and the responsibilities of both the Council and the Contract Holder.

h) Review policies and procedures for conducting and accurately recording pre-letting inspections.

56. I am pleased to note that in commenting on the draft of this report Flintshire County Council has agreed to implement these recommendations.

Michelle Morris                                                                

Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus | Public Services Ombudsman

16 October 2025