Housing Ombudsman accuses London borough of having “defensive” complaint handling culture
The London Borough of Camden has a culture of being defensive in the face of complaints, a special investigation by the Housing Ombudsman has found.
The Ombudsman said it had uncovered documents “containing dismissive tones that run the risk of discouraging the acknowledgement of valid complaints”.
The report into Camden made 124 findings of maladministration where obligations, policies, or processes were not followed, with a detrimental impact on the resident’s involved.
This represented a maladministration rate of 83% during 2023-24.
The Ombudsman also made 275 orders on these cases to make things right for residents.
The cases included one where a disabled resident was forced to navigate stairs multiple times daily due to a lift being broken 686 days out of the 1,051 he had lived in the block.
In a separate case, a leaseholder waited 2,337 days for a response to their complaint.
The investigation recommended that Camden review its processes and training so that they align with the statutory Complaint Handling Code and foster a culture that values complaint handling.
Additionally, Camden was advised to enhance its processes for complaint identification, acknowledgment, and investigation.
As is the case with a large number of landlords, property condition was the main driver for complaints in Camden.
The report found that repairs management suffered from record-keeping inaccuracies and gaps.
Problems spanned various repair types, such as damp, leaks, and pest infestations, “highlighting systemic inefficiencies”, according to the Ombudsman.
To improve the management of repairs the report recommended that Camden establish a systematic process for tracking outstanding repairs through to completion.
Finally, the special investigation highlighted a lack of policy regarding reasonable adjustments.
This resulted in communication barriers, as seen in a case where a deaf resident's request for an in-person BSL interpreter was delayed for four months, the Ombudsman noted.
It added that Camden’s complaint handling showed insufficient recognition of residents' vulnerabilities and the impact that failing these residents can have.
Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: “This special investigation highlights the critical importance of effective complaint handling as a fundamental aspect of providing safe and decent housing…
“The landlord needs to understand why several opportunities are missed to put things right, which may leave residents’ living in unsuitable and avoidable conditions. This includes a resident living with persistent disrepair, including damp and mould, for over three years, severely impacting her mental health. The issues weren’t addressed until the Ombudsman intervened.
“To build trust and ensure residents' voices are genuinely heard, comprehensive training and a strategic shift towards proactive, respectful engagement are imperative as the landlord continues to improve its services.”
In a statement Camden said it had been investing and working hard to improve the services tenants and leaseholders received.
“As a council we have experienced many years of under-investment from government and there is a critical shortage of affordable housing,” it said.
“We are pleased that report acknowledges our commitment to the long-term improvement of housing and repairs services through our established Transformation Programme.
“The Ombudsman has also acknowledged our engagement with them and our proactive work to make key improvements throughout the investigation, and we will continue to work with them as we make further progress.”
The council also noted that the cases covered in the report were generally from 2022 or earlier.
It said: “We will go above and beyond the ambitions set out by the Ombudsman’s recommendations and we will ensure that considerations about our residents are at the centre of our work.”
Camden has set up a Housing and Property Residents Panel, a Complaints and Oversight Panel and emphasised that it has completed a programme of intensive resident engagement.
The Housing Ombudsman’s full special report into Camden is available here.
Harry Rodd
