Learning lessons from Awaab’s Law cases is central to ending the disruption caused by roof leaks, the Housing Ombudsman’s latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report has revealed.

According to the report, reasons for service failures offer insights for managing the introduction of the new Decent Homes Standard and, while the cases pre-date Awaab’s Law, they reflect some of the early lessons from cases investigated under the law. These include inadequate risk assessments and unexplained delays.

The report looks at the impact that roof leaks can have on daily life, including disruption to bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms and bathrooms.

One case involves water running down the wall of a child’s bedroom for two years. Another resident recovering from chemotherapy treatment found their bedroom unusable because of a leak.

Other cases involved residents being forced to empty buckets when it rains, and a child’s TV catching fire due to a leak.

The report also looks at the added complexity of homeownership, as well as the interplay with major works.

The landlords mentioned in the report are:

  • East Devon Council
  • London Borough of Haringey
  • London Borough of Lambeth
  • London Borough of Wandsworth
  • L&Q
  • Riverside
  • Sanctuary
  • Southern Housing
  • Stonewater

Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: “With the new Decent Homes Standard on the horizon, lessons from responsive repairs should be transferred into handling major works. This includes oversight, timeliness, and communication. Otherwise, poor performance in these areas could undermine what should otherwise be positive outcomes for residents of major works.

“These lessons could also be taken forward into the expansion of Awaab’s Law. Issues present in our early investigations include inadequate risk assessments, unexplained delays, unevidenced reports of no access and no consideration of temporary moves. Reported changes to the condition of the home or the resident’s circumstances are sometimes missed by landlords, when an emergency action could be required.

“Under an extended Awaab’s Law, landlords will be under pressure to take more immediate and effective action rather than waiting for planned works.”