Croydon Council has been criticised for leaving one of its tenants waiting over a year for a damp and mould check, a report reveals.

The latest Housing Ombudsman’s report found the council’s delays in inspections and repairs amounted to ‘severe maladministration.’

Croydon was one of 20 housing providers, and one of several London councils, to be named in the recent report.

It revealed a troubling pattern of residents experiencing significant distress and disruption due to delayed responses from landlords.

Croydon’s case of ‘maladministration’ concerned a resident who faced ongoing issues with their landlord over persistent leaks, damp, and mould.

Despite repeated reports and requests for an inspection, it took nearly a year for Croydon (the landlord) to address the problem.

The landlord’s delays in inspections and repairs resulted in deteriorating living conditions, causing significant distress for the resident and their family.

The damage caused by the damp was so bad that the resident’s daughter was unable to use her bedroom.

Poor record-keeping and communication from the landlord only added to the frustration, creating further delays and unresolved issues.

Initially, the landlord declined to offer compensation and suggested the resident file an insurance claim.

However, following an investigation, the Ombudsman intervened and ordered the landlord to apologise and pay the tenant over £5,000 in compensation.

In response to ongoing concerns about leaks, damp, and mould, the landlord has announced the formation of a specialist team dedicated to addressing these issues.

They are actively collaborating with individuals to resolve problems, hiring expert contractors, and revamping their policies with new training initiatives.

The Housing Ombudsman’s recent report published today (Oct 16) revealed ‘severe maladministration’ demonstrated by a number of landlords.

In particular, the report highlighted critical issues around inspections and timeliness in damp and mould complaints.

Given the vital role social housing plays in providing safe and secure homes, these findings aim to help landlords enhance their services and protect residents’ well-being.

Many tenants have lost the use of their bedrooms or suffered damage to belongings like sofas.

Others have faced issues like collapsing ceilings. The threat that damp and mould pose to tenants and their children was also a focus of the report.

Health issues, like asthma and eczema, have come to the fore following the announcement of the proposed Awaabs Law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died while living in a mould-covered flat in Rochdale in 2020.

Under Awaab’s Law, both private and social landlords would be required to investigate the causes of damp and mould within 14 days of complaints being made and provide residents with a report on the findings.

Many cases outlined in the Ombudsman’s report illustrate delays in all three phases—initial inspections, work commencement, and completion—which are crucial points to address under Awaab’s Law.

While focusing on damp and mould, the Ombudsman stresses that these cases often encompass a wide range of housing issues.

For example, the report highlights inadequate compensation offered by landlords, such as £150 for a family living with extensive mould for five years.

Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: “This is a topic that now dominates half of our casework and one coming into sharp focus given the government’s intention to introduce Awaab’s Law into both the social and private rented sectors.

“It is clear is that landlords are still struggling with timescales. This is despite policies often setting out a clear sequence of actions and existing obligations requiring reasonable resolution times.

“Throughout these cases landlord inspections are revealed as limited or repeated because of poor records before action is taken, with living conditions deteriorating during these delays.

"Often there can be a disconnect between the survey recommendations and the schedule of works as these repairs being delayed. Cases also include repairs being ‘completed’ but issues remaining for the resident and cases being closed without follow up inspections or communication with the resident.

“Together with the human impact, these delays can result in greater costs for the landlord, both in terms of repairs and avoidable redress. Landlords need to reevaluate approaches to compensation using these cases, to embed a fair and reasonable approach within local complaints procedures, which is an expectation of the statutory Complaint Handling Code.

"It is wholly unreasonable to offer just £150 to a resident who lost both their bedrooms to mould for more than a year, as happened in one case.

“Moreover, addressing the root causes of inadequate inspections and delays means resources can go into services rather than redressing service failings.

“We encourage landlords to engage positively with the lessons these cases provide and opportunities through our Centre for Learning. These are invaluable and will help you to provide an improved service for your residents.”

A spokesperson for Croydon Council said: “Everyone has the right to live in a safe and well-maintained home, free from leaks, damp and mould, and residents should expect to have any issues dealt with quickly and efficiently.

“We sincerely apologise to our resident and accept that not enough was done to support her and to resolve the leaks and mould which was impacting on her and her family.

“We’re working hard to improve our housing services, to be more responsive and make sure we’re always putting residents first. Tackling leaks, damp and mould is a key priority and we have made significant improvements to the way we deliver our services since the events of the report, which include:

Setting up a specialist team – a team of experts who are dedicated to resolving leaks, damp and mould issues.

Working with each individual customer to get their damp and mould cases resolved.

Procuring specialist contractors to work on damp and mould remedial works, helping us to resolve issues effectively.

Reviewing and updating all our processes and procedures in relation to leaks, damp and mould complaints.

Delivering ongoing training across the workforce, highlighting the potential health impacts of leaks, damp and mould on vulnerable customers.

“We are working to continually improve the service we offer to customers and placing their feedback at the heart of our service improvement approach.”