Watchdog says system can seem ‘unresponsive’ or ‘indifferent’ to leaseholders needs
The housing ombudsman has published findings from 12 cases of failings by social landlords which he said illustrates how the system can appear “unresponsive or “indifferent” to the needs of leaseholders.
Richard Blakeway, housing ombudsman, said: “When things go wrong, an individual leaseholder can be left feeling isolated and exposed.”
Blakeway, in the ombudsman’s latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report, said the fact that responsibilities can differ between the parties in leasehold home ownership “is a continuous cause of friction.”
The report highlights cases in two areas, leaks and hazards.
Blakeway said: “Life-changing moments are impacted because of poor service. One leaseholder is unable to spend time with a dying relative.
“Another unable to decorate the nursery for their new baby. A third has the sale of their home disrupted.”
He said that the causes are not isolated but “form part of a repeated pattern where events which could have been prevented had landlords adopted lessons from complaints. This includes service failings familiar across tenures: delays, miscommunication, poor records.”
He said they are also lessons specific to leaseholders, “especially confusion over lease obligations”.
The ombudsman has published list of key learnings for the sector (see box below) on leaks and statutory hazards, which he said are for landlords who are “actively looking to renew and improve their relationships with leaseholders.”
The landlords mentioned in the report are A2Dominion Group, Arun Council, Haringey Council, Lambeth Council, L&Q, Origin Housing, Peabody, Southern Housing and Southwark Council.
The ombudsman said in once case Peabody failed to fix a leaseholder’s roof leak for so long the resident lost seven potential home buyers.
The landlord initially made attempts to do repairs. However, after the resident complained the issues were unresolved, it did no further significant work to address the cause of the leaks.
The report said Peabody has improved how it monitors and manages repairs through new performance measures for contractors. It has also introduced improvements to record keeping and communication across teams and looked at how it can support and respond to residents with vulnerabilities.
A2Dominion left a pregnant resident and children in poor housing conditions due to a roof repair being delayed for 2 years. “There was no urgency to progress works despite potential asbestos involvement”, said the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman said A2 Dominion has since introduced a new system to improve efficiency, reliability, and customer experience, through an integrated online housing repairs service.
In another case Haringey Council failed to deal with damp and mould for two years, despite small children being present in the home.
The council told the ombudsman it will continue to build on the improvements made to its complaint-handling processes and repairs service since taking over direct management of its housing stock in late 2022”.
Southwark Council failed to resolve a contaminated-water problem and only tested the water supply 16 months after the resident reported it.
“Due to the length of the time the landlord took to replace the tank, the resident replaced her own boiler to fix the issue,” the ombudsman said.
Southwark said in response that it had “carried out a thorough review with a focus on how it manages contractor activity” and was bringing in “a more robust process for statutory visits”.
- Roof repairs can be complex and costly. This makes it even more important for landlords to proactively communicate with residents and keep accurate records. This will improve trust in the process.
- Under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, a landlord is required to consult with leaseholders before undertaking any work that will cost a leaseholder more than £250.
- This includes repairs, maintenance, and improvements to the building and estate the property is in. Under certain circumstances a landlord can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for exemption from the need to consult leaseholders.
- Leaseholders usually must fix issues inside their home.
- Landlords are responsible for the structure and common areas. Where a leak is the leaseholder’s responsibility, it should be resolved by them and where it has affected another resident. When landlords know about these issues, they should think about how to help the resident. Landlords should check whether a temporary repair is possible to replace the missing roof tile while waiting for a longer-term fix. This could also apply to the section 20 process.
- Landlords need to make sure their homes are safe and free from hazards. When a resident reports a risk, the landlord should check the property for hazards. Ignoring hazards can lead to serious consequences for everyone.
- Any hazards, including those that may be more uncommon, should be treated with the same urgency. Landlords must investigate swiftly and communicate effectively.
- Where a contractor is involved in hazard repairs, the landlord is still responsible for the level and standard of the service it expects to see.
- Landlords also must make sure effective communication occurs during the lifetime of a case. Especially where a situation may have a negative impact on them.
- It’s best practice for landlords to appropriately record information. This should include any reports of repairs, agreed actions, or further issues raised by a resident. The failure to create and record information accurately can result in landlords not taking appropriate and timely action.
- Leading to missed opportunities to identify wrong or inadequate actions. This leads to poor communication and redress.
- Landlords should also be mindful of the impact on residents in this situation when considering redress.
- Landlords should offer compensation that reflects the seriousness and length of time in recognition of the impact and distress the situation caused. This must include personal circumstances, which changes the level of impact.
- Working with third parties is key. Landlords should do this efficiently to avoid delays for residents.
- Where this relationship fails, as our Spotlight report on repairing trust shows, it has significant human detriment.
- Landlords must understand their lease responsibilities and recognise the vital role they play when dealing with managing agents and freeholders.
- The landlord can play an important supportive role for the resident and get issues resolved. Proactive communication is the cornerstone of this healthy relationship with third parties. It’s increasingly important as the housing sector diversifies and homes are delivered in a less traditional way.
Source: Housing Ombudsman ’Learning from severe maldminstration’ report July 2025
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