Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s failure to meet his disabled son’s needs by taking too long to carry out adaptations to his property. He also complained about being pressurised into accepting unsuitable adaptations.

Finding

The Ombudsman upheld the report and found fault causing injustice.

Recommendations

The Council should take the following action:
apologise in writing to Mr and Mrs X;

• pay Mr and Mrs X £2,000. This is a symbolic payment to acknowledge the significant delay in this case. Mr and Mrs X intend to use it to fund a family holiday for the benefit of Child Y. In deciding on this amount, we considered our Guidance on Remedies;
• contact Mr and Mrs X to agree what works remain outstanding. The Council should confirm what has been agreed in writing. These agreed works should be completed within four weeks from the date COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted to the extent that Mr X is comfortable with contractors coming into the family home. The Council has confirmed discussions are taking place with Mr and Mrs X to agree a suitable way forward; and
• reflect on the issues raised in this report. The appropriate Service Director should carry out a review and identify any areas of service improvement. The Council should prepare a short report setting out what it intends to do to ensure similar problems do not reoccur, particularly around delay and strip washing. The Council has already reported back to us in response to a draft version of this report.

Ombudsman satisfied with council's response: 26 April 2022.

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