Private housing

London Borough of Harrow (18 010 318)

Statement Upheld Private housing 29-Aug-2019

Summary: there was no fault in the way the Council investigated Mr X's reports of poor housing conditions and a mice infestation in his private rented flat. There were some instances of poor communication and complaint-handling. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X and this is a satisfactory remedy.

London Borough of Harrow (18 015 722)

Statement Upheld Private housing 29-Aug-2019

Summary: the Council failed to respond to Mr X's requests for a report following an officer's inspection of housing conditions and a mice infestation in his flat. That was fault but it did not cause any injustice.

Derby City Council (18 019 194)

Statement Not upheld Private housing 16-Aug-2019

Summary: Mr B says the Council broke his boiler and should fix it. There is no evidence the Council broke the boiler. It might not have fitted a part, but this is not the same as breaking it. The Council has made a reasoned decision that its discretionary service will no longer pay for repairs to Mr B's boiler as it is no longer economically viable to do so. The Council has offered to loan Mr B money for a new boiler. The Council does not have to provide such assistance to its citizens but chooses to do so.

London Borough of Newham (18 011 012)

Statement Upheld Private housing 23-Jul-2019

Summary: Mr F complains the Council has not done enough to support him with problems of disrepair in a flat he rents from a housing association. We find the Council at fault for how it responded to Mr F's contacts. This has caused him injustice as distress. The Council has agreed action to remedy Mr F's injustice that we consider provides a fair outcome to the complaint.

Elmbridge Borough Council (18 007 902)

Statement Upheld Private housing 26-Jun-2019

Summary: There was some fault in the way the Council responded to Ms B's complaints about disrepair in her property. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms B and to pay her £300.

Manchester City Council (18 011 838)

Statement Not upheld Private housing 30-May-2019

Summary: A Ltd, a lettings agent, says the Council was at fault for a failure to ensure a tenant, Ms T was eligible for housing benefit or universal credit and for a failure to inform A Ltd if she was not eligible before asking A Ltd to let a property to her. The Council was not at fault. Ms T found the property herself and was eligible for benefits when the Council paid her deposit. She later lost eligibility. This was not the Council's responsibility.

Portsmouth City Council (18 010 943)

Statement Upheld Private housing 24-May-2019

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complain about the quality of damp-proofing work completed in their house since they received a vulnerable persons' grant from the Council to fund it in 2013. The Ombudsman concludes although two attempts to resolve Mr and Mrs X's damp issue have clearly failed, this was not because of fault by the Council. There was fault in how the Council explained its involvement in the later works, which caused some uncertainty, but it has already offered a remedy we consider satisfactory for this.

London Borough of Brent (18 010 570)

Statement Upheld Private housing 17-May-2019

Summary: There was some fault in how the Council handled reports of disrepair in a private rental property, but this did not cause a significant injustice. There was also fault in how the Council handled a homelessness application, which caused a limited injustice. The Council has agreed to provide a remedy for this.

Leicester City Council (18 011 970)

Statement Not upheld Private housing 08-May-2019

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council's response to his reports of disrepair in his private accommodation and harassment from his landlord. The Council took the steps I would expect it to in response to Mr X's reports and it was not at fault.

London Borough of Croydon (18 011 542)

Statement Upheld Private housing 01-May-2019

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to take appropriate action over the poor state of her property. She also complained the Council failed to award her medical priority points when she made a housing application. There was no fault in the action the Council took in relation to the state of Mrs X's property. There was some fault in how the Council dealt with Mrs X's housing application but this did not cause her a significant injustice.