Decision Report 201301004

Summary

When Mrs C raised concerns about shadowing that had appeared on her living room and kitchen ceilings, the association investigated and took action to resolve the problem, and did so again later, when the shadowing reappeared. More recently, they carried out further investigations and work in response to Mrs C's concerns that the shadowing was reappearing, and recommended that the affected areas were periodically washed down with soapy water. Mrs C complained to us that while the association had taken some action to resolve the problem, she was not satisfied they had done so effectively. She was also unhappy with the response to her complaints, as she felt they had dismissed her concerns, failed to look at the problem, and created a biased and misleading narrative of events which portrayed her in a negative light.

Our investigation found that the association had acted appropriately, including bringing in equipment to check humidity levels, inspecting the insulation and ventilation in her loft and having an external specialist inspect the property. After making a number of checks over a period of time, during which they had not been able to identify any specific problems, the association said that they found Mrs C's property to be structurally sound with no damp and that they would take no further action. We found that the association's actions and their handling of the complaint were reasonable, and that they had taken Mrs C's concerns seriously.