A2Dominion - Housing Association property flooding - damning ombudsman report

[stu007]

Hi

Wow that Ombudsman decision is soo damming in it's findings and well done to you for keeping up with this as it must have been so stressful for you especially the length of time this has went on all due to the failings of A2.

Make sure they have paid you that £1,950 by that date 31st January 2024 and if not report to the Ombudsman (will look very bad if they don't)

Also make sure and get a list if costs together of your additional costs incurred due to the decant.

Just some example to include:

Transport
Food
Heating
Extra furniture as property unfurnished/bedding/fridge/microwave etc

Every little cost no matter what you add to your list you want that money back it's in that Ombudsman decision.

If A2 refuse a certain cost then you simply ask them for full clarification as to why. (will look bad to the Ombudsman if they don't give you full clarification)

I would certainly pass a copy of that Ombudsman decision onto your MP

Lastly WELL DONE and you have a good Christmas and New Year

Remember we are here if you ever need us and please pass onto others about CAG

I wont amend your thread title to resolved until you get that money and also your decant costs back

[Nicky Boy]

Brilliant outcome. Just shouldn't have taken so long.

All the best to the OP!

[BankFodder]

@WanTToMoveOn

congratulations on this. It shows great tenacity on your part. I don't want to dampen the mood but I have to say I think the financial award is on the low side but I suppose that is a bit typical of ombudsman decisions.

I've only looked very briefly through this long thread and I see that you have reproduced messages that you have received from https://a2dominion.co.uk/ in several places but you haven't included the name of the person who signed it.

I would suggest that you do now list the people who have been sending you these messages. Although they are any individuals working for some unpleasant company, they are complicit in it and they ought to understand a little bit that if they simply go along with the company line, then people will get to know about it.

 

[stu007]

Hi

I forgot to add just so you are aware that as the Housing Ombudsman has a Memorandum of Understanding where they share serious failures I do hope that the Housing Ombudsman passes onto the Housing Regulator the Outcome of your Housing Ombudsman Decision so the Housing Regulator can look more closely at A2Dominion with it's Poor Record Keeping and Non Compliance of it's own Complaints Procedure.

The Memorandum of Understanding is in this Link:

Memorandum of Understanding between the Housing Ombudsman and RSH - GOV.UK

WWW.GOV.UK

 

[stu007]

Hi

Hope you had a good Xmas & New Year.

Just popping in to see if you have sent A2 your Additional Costs list and got proof of posting for it?

Have they given you the £1,950 yet as they only have to the 31st January 2024 as per the Ombudsman Decision? (they better not try to credit it to your Housing Association Account)

You look after yourself as this has been a long hard time for you during all this and the lack of action by A2

 

 

[stu007]

Hi just popping in as it is the cut off day today for A2 to have given you payment of £1,950 plus your Additional Costs as stated in your Ombudsman Decision.

Can you let us know if A2 have done the above and given them to end of play today 31st Jan 2024.

I know you would have updated us if they have paid but I just have this feeling that A2 being A2 they ain't going to play ball please lets us know.

Also I want to make sure that you are OK after all of this as I know it will have taken a massive toll on you especially how long this has been going on.

Can you also let us know if you sent that Ombudsman Decision to SHP what SHP have to say for themselves on this or are they keeping quiet on this and hiding as they have a lot to answer for as well.

 

Then if A2 Dominion have not paid on 1st Feb 2024 you report A2 Dominion to the Housing Ombudsman (make sure and send them the below)

A2 Dominion Failure to Comply with Housing Ombudsman Decision - Complaint 202201960, A2 Dominion Housing Group Ltd

1. Breached The Housing Ombudsman's Own Decision (Complaint 202201960, A2 Dominion Housing Group Ltd) and their Board should be held accountable and Reported to the Regulator.

2. A2 Dominion continue to Breach their own Complaints Policy as they have failed to pay £1,950 nor my Additional Costs as per the Housing Ombudsman's Decision.

3. A2 Dominion continue to Breach it's Customer Care Policy due to failure to uphold the Housing Ombudsman's Decision.

4. A2 Dominion continue to Breach their own Service Standards due to failure to uphold the Housing Ombudsman's Decision.

5. A2 Dominion continue to Breach their Equality and Diversity Policy due to failure to uphold the Housing Ombudsman's Decision.

 

 

[WanTToMoveOn]

Hi Stu/all

Sorry for the late reply as I have been away this month for a much needed break away and only just returned. I've had an issue relating to this and will perhaps start a new thread soon to see if I can be helped.

A2 have paid the money I am pleased to say and I was contacted by email by someone who will come to check the property and report back to the ombudsman. This will happen by the end of this week. 

I was also waiting for A2 to contact me to find out and discuss the extra expenses incurred during the decant rather than pursue it myself, as this is what the Ombudsman instructed and following an email received from someone at A2, they will call me to discuss next week (I suggested the date)...although remembering everything/having receipts will be a challenge.

I haven't actually sent the decision to SHP yet and will probably do this today although, I've been putting it off as I'm not too sure what to say to them accompanying the report...

As I believe I have said previously, I am very grateful for the help and support given by you Stu and this site, and would have caved in long ago without it. Even then, many times (given the circumstances), I wanted to give up, given how deflated I was being isolated and far away during the decant...I don't believe the ombudsman took this seriously enough, and am disappointed, especially given the length of time and the impact it's had.

I think I made 3 donations of £50 during that period , due to all the time and support given (not knowing if a positive outcome would occur) and I have today been trying to make another donation of £100 but for some reason, cant find out where to do so....so please post the link and I will do so ASAP.

Lots more I want to say, especially regarding the outcome etc, but that can wait. Especially with jetlag....thank you all once again, finances aside (because essentially I lost the complaint because A2 hoard all the evidence), but because they have been exposed and chastised for their actions and its here for all to see.

 

thank you @Nicky Boy all credit to @stu007

 

i agree with you @BankFodder the award is low and I am disappointed with much of the decision, especially as A2 kept all the info and evidence away so no proper investigation could occur. But cant complain. I will wait for everything to be settled and then yes, I may as well name the 2 or 3 involved.

[BankFodder]

Thanks all of this.

I see that you are proposing to donate £100.

That is an amazingly generous figure but I would suggest that you hang on until everything is sorted out and then if you do want to donate then come up with a more modest figure.

Most people don't donate anything at all but £100 is probably really quite excessive especially considering what you seem to have gone through.

You can donate by simply using the donate link but please wait until it's over and you see what you are eventually going to get.

Then take a deep breath before you decide how much and make sure you keep some back for yourself!

 

[WanTToMoveOn]

thanks for the link @BankFodder the donation of £100 has been made.

[stu007]

Hi

Hope you had a good break as it is well deserved after all this.

Thanks for the update and your kind comment but that's what CAG is here for to help people like yourself as otherwise A2 Dominion would have completely got away with what they did to you and the Ombudsman has seen through them as there decision damming.

Also note my post#154 as due to the different failings in that decision it wouldn't surprise me if the Ombudsman passes that onto the Regulator but you will not be told about any of that.

Also bear in mind this is still not finished with A2 Dominion/Ombudsman Decision as they have still to:

1. Agree your additional costs due to the decant to an unfurnished property and pay you that and inform Ombudsman.

2. Provided you with evidence that the data protection breach by them sending that email to an incorrect email address was in fact returned as undelivered and inform Ombudsman. 

Note with the above Data Protection Breach as BankFodder has pointed out this needs to get taken further

3. Inspect your property to ensure all repairs have been completed in full and are effective and give you/Ombudsman a copy of the report.

So until A2 Dominion have completed the above they have not complied with the Ombudsman decision as they had until 31st January 2024.

Yes you were away which was understandable as you needed a break but the ball is in your court NOT A2 Dominions so you make sure that you tell them how things are going to be done with time limits not them telling you and if they argue then just inform them of the Ombudsman's decision and you will report it to the Ombudsman as none compliance.

 

Now as for SHP the reason I say you need to send that Ombudsman Decision to them as they are the one's due to your circumstances at the time got you into this property with A2 Dominion so they must have some sort of for example service level agreement in place with them and probably other Housing Association.

1. Think to yourself if you had known what A2 Dominion with it's service failures of Tenants at the time and had been made aware by SHP would you have accepted that property.

2. SHP need to be made aware of A2 Dominions Service Failures for people in your circumstances that went via them into there property so they can decide whether it is acceptable to continue using them with SHP.

3. SHP need to meet with yourself to get your views on everything that has happened to get this from your view point and what can be done to improve there service/discuss issues with different housing providers of issues like you have been through and it needs to be made fully clear by SHP/Housing Providers they use that any NEW TENANT must be informed they must have Contents Insurance and the reason why.

May I also thank you for your kind donation to CAG as it will help CAG to keep helping others.

You make sure and look after yourself and keep us updated on this

 

 

[stu007]

Hi

Just popping in to see how this is going bearing in mind my above last post#160 and hope your keeping well.

Irrespective that you were away on a well deserved break A2 had to comply with that Ombudsman Decision and the only thing that should be outstanding and should have been resolved by is your Additional Costs which I hope they have sorted and also informed the Ombudsman as per their direction.

There is also still outstanding they had to provide evidence to both you/Ombudsman of the data breach of that email to incorrect address that was supposedly returned as undelivered and whether they should report to their Data Protection Officer or the ICO. (Note this should have been provided before the Ombudsman Decision cut off date and if NOT they have Breached the Ombudsman Decision) so get reporting that A2 to the Ombudsman.

(Note with the Data Protection issue above irrespective if they provide evidence you still need to take that further and we will help you with that and it wont be via the Housing Ombudsman) 

Have they inspected your property that the repairs are full and effective and provided you with a copy of the report as per Ombudsman Decision. If NOT then again report A2 to the Ombudsman.

I hope you could see my point in post#160 why to take this up with SHP as well

You look after yourself and please feel free to let others know about CAG

 

[stu007]

Hi

Just popping in to see if any up date to my post#160 & 161 ?

Hope you are okay