An independent review commissioned by the Housing Ombudsman has resulted in 31 recommendations for Peabody, one of London’s largest housing associations, to improve its repair and decant services. The review, conducted under the Ombudsman’s new “wider order” powers, aims to prevent future service failures by enhancing the landlord’s policies and practices.
The investigation was prompted by a case where a resident and her family were placed in hotel rooms for 18 months. The review uncovered several issues, including unclear void standards, failure to identify tenant vulnerabilities, and repeated delays in repairs due to inadequate planning and inspections.
An independent review has revealed significant failings in Peabody’s decant policy implementation, highlighting serious concerns over the handling of damp and mould issues that have affected over 180 residents since February 2021. The review noted that six of these cases have lasted over 300 days, pointing to a lack of empathy and ineffective communication with residents as key areas of concern.
Key findings from the review include:
- Poor planning and quality of repair work
- Lack of coordination between teams
- Inconsistent surveying competence
- Varied levels of staff helpfulness and resident focus
- Confusion caused by multiple contractors communicating directly with tenants
The review outlined 31 recommendations for Peabody, suggesting that the housing association should:
- Conduct formal assessments of tenants’ mental health or other issues at the start of tenancies
- Expand its Vulnerable Persons Policy
- Review its repairs surveying competence and procedures
- Establish a policy for sharing survey reports with tenants
- Improve communication plans between surveyors and residents throughout the repair process
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway emphasized the importance of these reviews in uncovering the fundamental changes needed to improve residents’ lives. He stated, “The review is clear about the weaknesses in approach which could impact other residents, and we will continue to work with the landlord to see how it embeds the recommendations.
Peabody’s Chief Executive, Ian McDermott, acknowledged the failings and apologized for the substandard service. He outlined recent changes within the organization, including the implementation of local support teams and increased focus on home maintenance. McDermott stated, “Both the ombudsman and independent report we commissioned have shed light on areas where we fell short and where we still need to improve, and we will carry on working hard to address these shortcomings.
The Housing Ombudsman’s office encourages other landlords to learn from this case, particularly regarding extended decants, voids, and the sign-up process for lettings. The Ombudsman will continue to monitor Peabody’s progress in implementing the recommended improvements.
