Overview
The complainant (Ms C) believes she was incorrectly advised of the application of administration charges by East Lothian Council (the Council) in connection with a common repair scheme, and that subsequent Council contact and documents did not contradict this belief.
Specific complaint and conclusion
The complaint which I have investigated is that Ms C was provided with inaccurate and misleading information about administration charges that the Council would make (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Council:
- (i) make a courtesy payment of £100 to Ms C;
- (ii) apologise to Ms C for the misunderstanding and lack of clarity in their documents; and
- (iii) advise owners of methods of payment, reasons for charges and methods of calculation in writing at the beginning of the common repairs process.
The Council have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.