Waltham Forest Council is taking steps to address issues raised by the Housing Ombudsman, following three severe maladministration determinations. The council has paid a total of £5500 in compensation across the three cases.
The Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee met on 2 July 2025, to discuss an internal analysis of these determinations and the improvements being made. The cases involved failures in handling anti-social behaviour, repairs, contractor conduct, leaks, and damp and mould.
According to a report pack prepared for the meeting, since tracking determinations, there has been a decrease in the overall maladministration rate from 83% in 2023/24 to 76% in 2024/25.
Key Findings of the Housing Ombudsman
The Ombudsman's key findings in the three cases highlighted several failures:
- Case A (Anti-Social Behaviour): Failures in communication, acting in line with ASB policy, recording and responding to reports, considering the impact on residents, recognising vulnerabilities, and providing support. £1,700 compensation was awarded, but payment is currently on hold pending clarification from the Ombudsman.
- Case B (Repairs & Contractor Conduct): Failures in treating damp and mould within a reasonable timeframe, implementing an effective damp and mould policy, and considering residents' medical vulnerabilities. £2550 compensation was awarded (including £500 previously awarded), and payment is complete.
- Case C (Leaks and Damp & Mould): Failures in promptly attending to reports of deteriorating conditions, keeping residents updated, and considering residents' vulnerabilities. £1250 compensation was awarded (including £200 previously awarded), and payment is complete. Relevant staff will receive training to ensure all reported repairs are logged at the time of reporting, monitored, and completed within the landlord's published timescales.
Council's Response and Improvements
The council has outlined progress made in relation to the orders made by the Ombudsman. Actions included apologies to residents and compensation payments. However, in some cases, progress is on hold due to residents not engaging with the council.
To prevent similar failings in the future, Waltham Forest Council has implemented several improvements, including:
- A new vulnerabilities policy, developed in partnership with residents, to ensure frontline services are more agile and better prepared to respond to specific needs.
- A new ASB policy, co-designed with residents, placing emphasis on collaborative action planning and support.
- A new damp and mould policy, defining a zero-tolerance approach and robust SLAs to ensure treatment works are executed urgently. The new policy provides clear direction in the form of:
- Robust SLAs to ensure treatment works are executed as a matter of urgency to address the immediate risk
- Measures to ensure that potential underlying causes - e.g. leaks, ventilation, insulation - are proactively considered to ensure that long-term sustainable solutions are found.
- Improvements to Knowledge & Information Management (KIM) practices, including a self-assessment against the Ombudsman's Spotlight report and implementation of the iCasework system.
Committee Review
The Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee reviewed the analysis, insights, and improvements made in response to the Ombudsman's findings at their meeting on 2 July 2025. The committee also reviewed the scrutiny report, the draft forward plan 25-26, the recommendation tracker, the action tracker, and responses to questions about the repair policy.
The council aims to embed a culture of continuous improvement and ensure services meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves. Additional focus groups are planned to ensure the improvement programme remains resident-inspired and led.
