Overview
The complainant (Mrs C*), who was a member of the Management Committee of Shire Housing Association Limited (the Association), raised a number of concerns relating to the alleged anti-social behaviour of her neighbours and the Association's subsequent administration of her request to be re-housed. She said that, as a result of her complaint, she was asked to resign from the Association's Management Committee.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that the Association:
- (a) did not take appropriate action regarding Mrs C's complaints (not upheld);
- (a) took an unnecessarily long time to offer alternative accommodation to MrsC (not upheld);
- (b) made an offer of accommodation to Mrs C which was unsuitable in terms of the Association's letter of 29 August 2005 (not upheld); and
- (c) put Mrs C under pressure to resign from the Management Committee because she had made a complaint about the Association as a resident (partially upheld).
Redress and recommendation
The Ombudsman recommends that the Association make a full formal written apology to Mrs C for requesting that she should consider resigning from the Management Committee, without giving her the opportunity to respond to the allegations made about her.
The Association have accepted the recommendation and will act on them accordingly.
* The complaint was made jointly by Mr and Mrs C, however, for ease of reporting the complainant is referred to as Mrs C throughout the report.