Tenant's persistent antisocial actions lead to evacuation, as determined by the Ombudsman

In a recent turn of events, housing association Peabody has come under scrutiny following a case of unaddressed anti-social behaviour (ASB) and noise nuisance. The resident, who ended her tenancy due to these issues, has received an apology from the association's chief executive, along with compensation, as a result of an Ombudsman's report.

The report, which covers the period when the resident formally complained, highlights significant failings on Peabody's part. These include a lack of professionalism in handling the case, failure to assess the resident's vulnerability, and not following its own policies or exploring all available options.

One of the key criticisms is Peabody's failure to address the resident's reports of ASB, which went unanswered for months due to the resident's case not being reassigned while the officer was on long-term sick leave. Additionally, the landlord did not watch the resident's footage of the anti-social behaviour when it was sent.

The Ombudsman also found severe maladministration by Peabody, citing critical failings against core legislation and its own procedures. The report suggests that Peabody could have provided evidence to the police and local authority to seek other interventions to improve the situation at an earlier stage.

The issues the resident faced had been ongoing for over 20 years, further compounded by the resident's husband passing away during the duration of the case. The complaint was closed incorrectly, noting the resident as having passed away.

The head of the Peabody housing association, Ian McDermott, has been criticized in the report. In response, Peabody has introduced specialist community safety teams and a dedicated complaints team. They have also been ordered by the Ombudsman to review how they manage ASB and have committed to implementing the recommendations from the Ombudsman's recent Spotlight report on Knowledge and Information Management.

This is not the first time Peabody has faced criticism. Catalyst, which later merged with Peabody, was the subject of an Ombudsman's special report with recommendations for service improvement. The Ombudsman has ordered Peabody to monitor and review the action plan as promised when more reports are made.

Despite the criticism, Peabody has shown a commitment to addressing these issues and improving its approach to managing ASB. The hope is that these changes will lead to a better living environment for all residents.