Michael Gove slams Lambeth council’s housing conditions

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

The government has blasted a council for failing to provide “the most basic level of decency” to tenants.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove said he was “appalled” to hear about Lambeth council’s failure to deal with repairs and complaints, outlined in reports published by council landlord regulator the Housing Ombudsman last month.

In a letter to Labour leader of the council Claire Holland, and town hall boss Bayo Dosunmu, dated March 3, Mr Gove wrote: “It is regrettable that I write to you again following further findings by the Housing Ombudsman of severe maladministration for Lambeth’s failings in complaint handling and making repairs.

“The Ombudsman has made five severe maladministration judgements relating to three separate cases.

“These findings are additional to the two severe maladministration cases in 2022 and a Special Report published by the Ombudsman last February following high numbers of complaint handling failure orders being made against your organisation.

“I was appalled to read about these cases and the persistent failure to provide even the most basic level of decency that a resident should expect from you as a landlord.”

In February, the Housing Ombudsman told the council to “radically improve,” after it found severe failings in three cases involving Lambeth tenants in 2021. It ordered the council to pay a total of £4,350 in compensation to the families and to apologise.

One disabled man had to flush the toilet using a bucket after workmen sent by the council left him without a functioning toilet while fitting a ground-floor bathroom. Another tenant with arthritis was left without hot water over Christmas and the New Year by workmen.

In the third case, mentioned by Mr Gove in the letter, a mum and her daughter – who was allergic to damp – were left in a mouldy home for six months because the council failed to fix a leak in a flat above.

Describing the council’s response to the situation as “unacceptable,” Mr Gove wrote: “We have seen first-hand through the case of Awaab Ishaak how unresolved damp and mould can have tragic consequences.

“Your poor record keeping meant that you were unable to present evidence requested relating to this case to the Ombudsman.”

Florence Eshalomi, Labour MP for Vauxhall and Lambeth councillor Donna Harris, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat opposition were copied into the letter by Mr Gove, as well as the Housing Ombudsman.

Cllr Harris said: “It is totally abhorrent that the Housing Ombudsman has found yet again severe maladministration within Lambeth’s Labour council.

“Lambeth council need to concentrate on hitting their own response times with immediate effect, as they are currently failing dismally.”

A Lambeth council spokesman said: “We fully support our residents in their right to raise complaints about any housing issues they face, and have apologised where the services provided to our tenants have fallen below acceptable standards.

“We are focused on making improvements to day-to-day repairs and maintenance, with 10 new firms and a new in-house repairs team assigned to the task.

“This is part of our wider work to proactively reduce instances of disrepair and resolve them in partnership with our residents, including home health checks and a rapid response team to respond to any reports of damp and mould.

“We’re committed to continuing these improvements, and acting quickly to resolve problems when they are brought to our attention.”

Pictured top: Michael Gove (Picture: UK Parliament)