The Housing Ombudsman has published a new report on severe maladministration, offering valuable insights from cases involving temporary relocations, referred to as 'decants' in the social housing sector.
As social housing plays a vital role in providing safe and secure homes for millions, the lessons from these reports aim to help landlords deliver better services to uphold this mission. The release of this report comes in anticipation of Awaab’s Law, which will impose specific requirements on landlords regarding temporary moves where residents' health and safety are at risk.
The report highlights several key takeaways for landlords as they prepare for the new legislation. These include improving processes to reduce stress and anxiety for residents, handling subsistence costs like food and travel, assessing the suitability of alternative accommodations, and practicing empathetic communication.
The report also features cases such as a pregnant resident being moved multiple times and unable to return home after giving birth. Another case involves a resident placed in temporary accommodation for three years, with minimal information provided about the initial move.
Additional cases include a resident’s request for relocation due to poor living conditions being ignored until a ceiling collapsed, and other residents being locked out of hotel rooms because the landlord failed to pay invoices.
The Ombudsman will continue to share insights on this and other issues through its Centre for Learning.
The landlords mentioned in this report include:
Contact us today if you've found yourself affected by any of the landlords above.
Read the full report below
