The Complainant was the tenant of a property owned by the Landlord. The Complainant was temporarily decanted to alternative accommodation while the Landlord carried out works at the property. On the completion of the works the Complainant complained that the effect of the works had been to significantly reduce the size of the property.

The Landlord acquired the building in which the Complainant’s flat was located as a result of the purchase of the building from a local authority. Part of the sale agreement between the Landlord and the local authority meant that the local authority retained ownership of all 2-bedroom flats and that these flats were to go on sale on the open market. The Complainant resided in one of the Landlord’s one-bedroom flats in the building and sought a transfer to a two-bedroom flat in the building. The Complainant wished to complain to the Housing Ombudsman Service in respect of the open market sales of the two-bedroom flats at the building.

Paragraph 23c of the Housing Ombudsman Service Approved Scheme provides that the Ombudsman may at any time suspend or stop an investigation or formal inquiry if the member Landlord undertakes to make substantial redress to the Complainant and the Ombudsman concludes that this resolves the complaint satisfactorily.

The Complainant had been a tenant of a two-bedroom property owned by the Landlord since April 1996. In April 1999, as a result of threats received she applied for a transfer to a larger property. At the time of the request the Complainant had three children. The Complainant also had learning difficulties.