Purpose

Approval of a Compensation Policy and
associated suite of working procedures.

Content

8.1

The Head of Service,
Neighbourhood Intervention and Tenant Support presented a report
seeking approval of the Compensation policy for the Housing
Service. The Policy set out the Council’s responsibilities
and how it will respond to claims for compensation. Approval of the
Policy ensures compliance with a recommendation from the Housing
Ombudsman and ensures cognisance of the Consumer Standards produced
by the Regulator of Social Housing.

 

 

8.2

RESOLVED
UNANIMOUSLY: That the Housing Policy
Committee: -
1.   
Approves the Tenant and Leaseholder Compensation
Policy in the form attached at Appendix A.

 

 

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The Housing Service does not
currently have a Compensation Policy. The proposed Compensation
Policy, if approved, would remedy this situation and provide for
the right level of transparency and accountability that the issue
requires.

 

 

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

Alternative Option
1:
 
Produce an update to the
‘Claims for Money’ procedure. This is a procedure that
the Housing Service utilised previously and was last updated in
2017.
 
Maintaining a position of
having a procedure only to address the issue of compensation does
not accord with the national prominence given to the issue of
complaints and redress against providers of social housing.
Similarly, an approach of leaving the matter to procedure would not
accord with the commitment that the Council currently demonstrate
in their corporate approach to complaint redress and
resolution.

 

 

8.4.2

Alternative Option
2:
 
Adopt an operational position
of deference to the Housing Ombudsman ‘Remedies
Guidance’ when the Housing Service are met with a claim for
compensation.
 
This option is rejected as it
would offer only a piecemeal approach to the issue and would result
in inconsistent outcomes. Furthermore, the Housing
Ombudsman’s guidance is intended primarily as guidance for
Housing Ombudsman staff and not as a replacement or like for like
alternative to a social landlord maintaining their own
Policy.