In the week commencing Monday 11 March 2024 the Housing Ombudsman:

• launched a consultation exercise on its 2024/25 Business Plan. The proposed membership fee for the year is £8.03 per home, a 19% increase on the 2023/24 fee of £6.75 per home
• published three severe maladministration findings for Lewisham Council across three cases for failings in how it handled reports of damp and mould, water ingress and repairs. Awarding total compensation of £40,000, Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said “These are three significant cases for learning from damp and mould. Until recently, this is an area that has not always been taken sufficiently seriously or tackled urgently by landlords, sometimes leaving residents in unhabitable homes and conditions they would never live in themselves. The financial awards at this level are unusual, reflecting the impact on the residents and the prolonged period of service failure they experienced”.  The Council has also referred itself to the Regulator of Social Housing in relation to Decent Homes and its repair service