Are you the landlord subject to the Ombudsman report?

Hi everyone, it’s a case of ‘same old, same old’. I won’t rehearse the occasions that councils have been told by Housing Ministers and the Ombudsman to stop telling tenants to remain in a property until the bailiffs turn up.

I can only imagine that councils balance the overwhelming burden of increasing shortages of housing and excess demand for such, against the limited number of tenants who actually go to the extent of pursuing a successful complaint to the Ombudsman.

Even in such cases as this: ‘London Borough of Hillingdon tells tenant to remain after Section 21 until bailiff eviction’.

The financial ‘penalty’ to LBC Hillingdon is a mere £800 and a review of their operating practice.

There is a link to the Local Government and Social care Ombudsman investigation report here.

However, there is no mention of whether there was any rental loss to the landlord as the complaint was from the tenant.

There would be costs to the landlord of the then court possession fee of £391 and the bailiff application of £130.

Where a Section 21 notice is issued and a relationship still exists with the tenant, there can be merit in recording and co-ordinating a complaint to the Ombudsman as landlords have hitherto been awarded losses to be compensated by the council if found at fault.

If the landlord concerned is reading this, or any other landlord in very similar circumstances, feel free to contact us for advice in attempting to recover your lost costs against the council.

Thank you,

Chris Daniel

Possession Friend