Disabled tenant moved to wooden shack after Camden Council didn't fix lift for two years

A disabled resident moved into a wooden shack after the lift in their Camden Council building broke down constantly. A report from the Housing Ombudsman found it was out of order for almost two out of the three years they lived in the property.

A wider investigation into how Camden Council deals with complaints from tenants and leaseholders found evidence of a defensive culture, while responses were often written in a dismissive tone. The Housing Ombudsman said this risked discouraging the acknowledgment of valid complaints.

The investigation was prompted by a significant volume of severe maladministration findings. The Ombudsman investigated 57 individual complaints, making 124 findings of maladministration where obligations, policies, or processes were not followed. This had a detrimental impact on the tenants involved.

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In 80 per cent of the complaints relating to property condition between April and September 2024 the repairs were outstanding after the Camden Council final response. The report also found every single complaint from a Camden tenant or leaseholder was upheld by the Ombudsman during this period.

The disabled resident, who had arthritis among other health needs and relies on a service dog, was forced to navigate stairs multiple times daily while the lift was out of action for long periods.

The Ombudsman found Camden Council did not consider a temporary move, so the disabled resident moved himself to a wooden shack with no heating or hot water. The landlord had previously received complaints about the lift but did not learn from these to prevent the impact on the resident. Since this determination, Camden Council has found permanent accommodation for this resident.

In another case, a leaseholder waited six-and-a-half years for a response to their complaint about renovation works. The Ombudsman found three key areas where Camden Council was failing its tenants - complaint handling, disrepair and vulnerable residents - with recommendations on how it can improve.

The report states Camden Council appeared dismissive of resident complaints, adding its practices and communication with tenants and leaseholders created the perception of a defensive culture. The Ombudsman said Camden Council needs to align its practices and training with the statutory Complaint Handling Code to foster a culture that values complaint handling.

The report also recommended both transparent guidance on compensation and improved data accuracy in complaint recording. The Ombudsman said the condition of properties to be the key driver of complaints to Camden Council. The special investigation found poor-record keeping - such as unlinked repair histories, neglected follow-ups on inspections, repeated unsuccessful repair attempts, and bad communication in general with residents - led to issues not being resolved. These problems spanned damp, leaks, and pest infestations.

The Ombudsman also found Camden Council did not make reasonable adjustments for vulnerable residents. One deaf resident had to wait four months for a sign-language interpreter after their request was delayed. However, it was reported that various improvements were implemented during the investigation in key places the Ombudsman identified failings.

Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman said: “This special investigation highlights the critical importance of effective complaint handling as a fundamental aspect of providing safe and decent housing. The landlord has engaged positively throughout this investigation. I welcome its new vision to create a culture that views complaints as opportunities for improvement rather than failures. These are important steps.

“The landlord needs to understand why several opportunities are missed to put things right, which may leave residents living in unsuitable and avoidable conditions. This includes a resident living with persistent disrepair, including damp and mould, for over three years, severely impacting her mental health.

"The issues weren’t addressed until the Ombudsman intervened. To build trust and ensure residents’ voices are genuinely heard, comprehensive training and a strategic shift towards proactive, respectful engagement are imperative as the landlord continues to improve its services.”

In response to the special investigation, Camden Council said it has experienced many years of under-investment from government and there is a critical shortage of affordable housing. It adds that tenants and leaseholders deserve high-quality, responsive and empathetic services which it is working hard to improve.

A spokesperson said: "The cases covered in the report are generally from 2022 or earlier – since then we have changed and improved many aspects of our services. We have more work to do, and we have comprehensive plans in place that will deliver further improvements.

"This includes developing our culture and processes around complaints, a system review of how our services respond to residents with vulnerabilities, and improved communication during the repairs service.

"We will go above and beyond the ambitions set out by the Ombudsman’s recommendations and we will ensure that considerations about our residents are at the centre of our work.

"We have set up a Housing and Property Residents Panel, a Complaints and Oversight Panel, completed a programme of intensive resident engagement, and we will continue to encourage all residents to get involved in the development of our services."

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