Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway has found systemic failings within the repair procedures of Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association (ISHA). He went on to find similar shortcomings in a number of London borough councils. The stories shine a light on the monthslong wait residents experience to receive urgently needed repairs. It zeroes in on the story of one leaseholder, who lived for over three years with a leaking ceiling that never got fixed.
Taken together, this report paints a troubling picture. Between the first complaint and when the repair work was expected to start, eight months elapsed. Council staff went more than 10 times to repair the leak. After their first successful visit to the upstairs flat, they were unable to gain access upstairs on seven consecutive attempts which precluded them from addressing the issue effectively. The upstairs building is locally owned by the arts council. They have come under fire since their lackluster response to the continued water gushing from the University’s campus.
Blakeway’s findings go much further than ISHA. He was quite critical of a number of housing associations and a number of London borough councils like Ealing, Harrow, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets. He stressed that all along the council was warned repeatedly about the danger. He admitted there was “no evidence” they had thought of taking any enforcement action at all. Three months later, the resident displaced by the fire remains in temporary housing. This abysmal state continued after the investigation ended and upheld a finding on his complaint.
The ombudsman, who has power to enforce her findings, stressed the need for councils to do more to prevent these shocking cases. He emphasized that the breach of not stopping the water seepage from the upstairs unit was a major lapse.
In response to the report, an ISHA spokesperson accepted their failures in service. They stated, “This is absolutely not the standard or experience we want for our residents.” The organization has pledged to do better in its repair practices to ensure similar mistakes aren’t made going forward.
Blakeway’s report the accountability and regulation of housing associations and local councils. This requires concerted action, creative leadership, and astute administration to turn the tide on what we’ve pointed out are the shortcomings. Now, residents are faced with ongoing repair and maintenance issues. To meet those goals, they quickly call on agencies to prioritize responding on time and ensuring transparency.
