Ombudsman report highlights ‘callous and uncaring’ systems and processes undermine landlord handling of disabilities and mental health

30 January 2025

The Housing Ombudsman has released its latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report, focusing on adaptations and landlords’ response to mental and physical health needs.

With the important role that social housing has to play in giving safe and secure housing to millions, the learning in these reports should help landlords provide effective services that protect this aspiration.

The report is based on 35 investigations where residents have asked for an adaptation to the home or service adjustment. Adaptations include using facilities like kitchens or bathrooms or service changes because of vulnerabilities. The report examines how landlords have managed adaptations, including liaising with Occupational Health, communication with residents and making reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act.

In one case a landlord failed to install adaptations 27 months after it was told there was urgent need for them because a child was going through chemotherapy. In other cases, a resident was largely confined to 1 room because of trouble accessing rooms in their wheelchair for 8 years and another landlord did not provide adequate evacuation plans for a disabled resident in case of a fire. There are also cases of residents not being communicated with effectively – including an autistic resident who suffering significant distress failed to make reasonable adjustments when communicating with her.

This report comes a year after the Ombudsman’s Spotlight report on attitudes, respect and rights, which highlighted many of the issues it sees in dealing with vulnerabilities and called on landlords to develop human-centric service provision.

Landlords highlighted in this report are:

Bristol City Council
Clarion
Kingston upon Thames Council
Lambeth Council
Longhurst Group
L&Q
Rooftop Housing Group
Somerset Council
Southern Housing
Southwark Council
Sovereign Network Group
VIVID

Learning from severe maladministration report

Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: “For decades landlords have helped millions of people who may otherwise have experienced poorer housing conditions.

“But this achievement should not obscure the significant failings identified in this report and the searching questions it presents to landlords about handling requests from residents with disabilities, adaptations and mental health needs.

“Callous and uncaring systems and processes are repeatedly exposed through these investigations.

“Time and again, these cases reveal communication that is unreliable, inconsistent and unsophisticated for the complexity of the circumstances. Some cases may indicate cultural issues, with communication adopting a tone and approach that is both dismissive and disrespectful of residents. This is another aspect of the stigma that can exist towards social tenants.

“This extends not only to some of the cases summarised in this report but also those we have provided links to as further reading: including poor communication with a terminally ill resident who was caring for her disabled children and a disabled resident sleeping on their sofa for 18 months.

“The report shares valuable lessons on responding to requests for adaptations and improving communication. We hope this helps landlords to learn from complaints alongside the insight being provided through our Centre for Learning to foster fairer, better services.”