Leaseholder claims discriminatory comments and serious disrepair

What happened?

Samantha raised concerns about serious disrepair and poor service from a managing agent, including broken lifts, a leak in her apartment, and missing cladding documents. She also reported a potentially discriminatory comment made by staff.

The main issues

• Lifts: 3 out of 4 lifts were out of order for months, with no updates or timelines provided.
• Leak: The agent blamed another flat, but the problem came from the roof, which was their responsibility.
• Cladding: The agent promised documents but never sent them.
• Communication: Phone calls weren’t returned, emails were ignored, and the complaints process wasn’t followed.
• Insensitive remark: During a meeting, staff allegedly said that people who rely on lifts should consider living elsewhere. The agent did not deny or clarify this when given the chance.

What the investigation found

The agent failed in their duties by:

• Ignoring complaints
• Not updating Samantha
• Failing to follow the proper complaints procedure
• Not responding to The Property Ombudsman’s requests for information

The outcome

The complaint was upheld. Samantha was awarded £250 for the time, stress, and poor service she experienced.

What we can learn

Managing agents must keep leaseholders informed, respond to complaints properly, and communicate respectfully. Ignoring problems only leads to further frustration and formal complaints.

Please note that all names in this case study have been changed to maintain anonymity.