Somerset West and Taunton Council · Case 202106296 · 23 September 2021
Somerset West and Taunton Council — case 202106296
The resident complained about distressing staff conduct during a property visit. Through Ombudsman intervention, the landlord agreed to provide a written apology, arrange a formal meeting, and pay £438 compensation (the balance of £500 offered, less £62 already paid to charity), which the resident accepted. The Ombudsman determined the complaint was resolved satisfactorily under paragraph 55(c) of the Scheme.
Orders and recommendations
- ApologyWithin 4 weeks
Issue a detailed, written, genuine apology to the resident.
- Take specific actionWithin 4 weeks
Contact the resident to arrange a formal meeting to seek closure.
- CompensationWithin 4 weeks
Pay the resident £438 in compensation (the balance of £500 offered, less £62 already paid to charity at the resident's earlier request).
Compensation ordered
| Reason | Amount |
|---|---|
| Distress and inconvenience caused by staff conduct | £500 |
| Total | £500 |
Findings by complaint head
Summarised automatically from the decision below. The Ombudsman's decision text is the authoritative record.
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Staff conduct during property visit
Mediation / settlementThe resident found a staff visit very upsetting and distressing. The landlord acknowledged the staff conduct was not in line with procedure and apologised. Through Ombudsman intervention, the landlord offered a written apology, a formal meeting, and £500 compensation (less £62 already paid to charity). The resident accepted, and the Ombudsman determined the complaint was resolved satisfactorily under paragraph 55(c) of the Scheme.
The full determination
REPORT COMPLAINT 202106296 Somerset West and Taunton Council 23 September 2021 Our approach Under our early resolution process, the Ombudsman works with the resident and landlord to explore the issues in dispute, identify the matters that remain outstanding and assist in reaching an agreed settlement. The complaint The complaint is in relation to the resident’s reports of issues with staff conduct. Determination (decision) In accordance with paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the landlord has made an offer of redress to the complainant which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.
How the complaint was resolved Paragraph 55 (c) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme states that: “At any time, the Ombudsman may determine the investigation of a complaint immediately if satisfied that the member has made an offer of redress following the Ombudsman’s intervention which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily. This will result in a finding of ‘resolved with intervention’.” The resident raised a formal complaint to the Landlord following a visit to their property from a member of landlord staff.
The resident states that they found this visit to be very upsetting and distressing. The landlord issued its final complaint response on 2 June 2021, in which it acknowledged that it is not in our procedure for an officer to have engaged with you in the way they did and acknowledging that it has turned your life upside down. The landlord apologised for what happened. The resident brought their complaint to this Service on 15 June 2021. During a phone call with the resident on 16 July 2021 they confirmed that they were seeking: A written apology covering specific incidents.
A formal meeting between landlord staff and the resident. £500 compensation to reflect the distress and inconvenience caused. This Service contacted the landlord and explained the resident’s outstanding issues and the outcomes being sought, and asked if the landlord wanted to engage in our mediation process. The landlord responded to this Service and informed us that it was willing to offer the below to resolve the dispute: A detailed, written, genuine apology to the resident.
The landlord will arrange a formal meeting with the resident in which it will work with them to seek closure of the situation. £500 compensation less the amount of £62 compensation already paid to a charity at the resident’s earlier request. This Service spoke with the resident on 21 September 2021, who confirmed that they were happy to accept this outcome. Therefore, following the intervention of this Service and in accordance with Paragraph 55(c) of the Scheme, the landlord, by providing an offer of compensation, has made an offer of redress which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, resolves the complaint satisfactorily.
Recommendation The landlord should issue its written apology, contact the resident to arrange a formal meeting and pay the resident £438 in compensation within four weeks. The landlord should copy this Service into communication with the resident.
This is a structured summary of a published determination. The official decision is the authoritative record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.