Southern Housing failed to act quickly enough despite knowing for at least a year that a vulnerable man’s heating was inadequate, the Housing Ombudsman has found.
The Housing Ombudsman Service issued its final decision on Tuesday (29th September) following an investigation into the handling of repairs at the man’s Southern Housing property on St Saviours Road.
The resident complained about ongoing damp and mould, his heating system, the condition of his kitchen and the way his complaint had been handled to the independent service designed to hold housing associations such as Southern Housing to account.
In one of the most serious findings, the Ombudsman concluded there had been maladministration in Southern Housing’s response to requests for a replacement heating system.
It said there had been a ‘significant period’ during which the landlord knew the heating was inadequate but failed to demonstrate that it had taken appropriate action.
Evidence showed that the resident chased Southern Housing in July 2023 about an upgrade, saying he had been waiting to hear from the landlord.
The Ombudsman found no evidence that Southern Housing responded to that email or gave him any meaningful updates about its plans, describing this as a ‘clear failing’.
It also found no evidence that the landlord properly addressed his concerns about its original proposal to install storage heaters or discussed alternatives with him before issuing its first complaint response in February 2024.
The report described that lack of communication as a ‘significant failing’.
Although a new heating system was eventually installed, the Ombudsman said Southern Housing had been aware that the existing system was inadequate for at least a year. It added that, given the man’s vulnerabilities and the ongoing damp and mould problems at the property, the landlord should have acted ‘significantly quicker’.
Separately, a service failure was found in Southern Housing’s response to damp and mould.
The resident formally raised the issue in January 2024, saying the problem had already been ongoing for some time.
Despite Southern Housing’s repairs policy stating that routine repairs should be completed within 20 working days – and its stated ;zero-tolerance approach’ to damp and mould – an inspection did not take place until 2 months later, on 12th March.
The Ombudsman described that delay as a clear failure to respond in line with the landlord’s own repair policy.
That survey identified a series of works, including improvements to loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and a mould wash. The mould wash was not carried out until 30th April, 6 weeks after the survey, while the loft insulation was not topped up until 26th July – both significantly outside the landlord’s own 20-working-day target.
The Ombudsman also said Southern Housing’s records were unclear about when – or even whether – all of the cavity wall insulation works had been completed.
Records showed the landlord was still writing to the resident in February 2025 to arrange work, suggesting the matter had not been properly followed up.
The Ombudsman said Southern Housing’s failure to keep accurate records was itself a ‘clear failure’, adding that it should have been able to identify what work remained outstanding and the progress of repairs involving multiple appointments.
Investigators also found clear evidence that Southern Housing had consistently failed to communicate fairly with the resident about the progress of works.
The landlord had previously offered £225 compensation over the damp and mould failings, but the Ombudsman ruled that this did not amount to reasonable redress because Southern Housing could not demonstrate that all of the required repairs had been completed.
The compensation for that element has now been increased to £275.
A further £250 has been ordered for the distress and inconvenience caused by failings surrounding the heating system, taking the Ombudsman’s compensation order to £525.
Southern Housing must also provide the resident with a written apology and a full update on any outstanding damp and mould work by 27th October.
The Ombudsman has separately recommended that Southern Housing re-offer £100 compensation previously proposed for failings in the way the man’s complaint itself was handled, if that sum has not already been paid.
However, the investigation did not uphold every aspect of the resident’s case.
No maladministration was found over his request for a replacement kitchen, with the Ombudsman concluding that Southern Housing had acted reasonably by arranging 2 inspections and relying on surveyors who found the kitchen showed wear and tear but did not require immediate replacement.
The Ombudsman also found that Southern Housing had provided reasonable redress for separate complaint-handling failures after offering £100 compensation.
Its report nevertheless identified further lessons for the housing association, particularly around record keeping and communication, noting that Southern Housing had struggled to provide clear details of its actions relating to the heating upgrade.
