Landlords share extensive learning following Housing Ombudsman’s further investigation process

Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: “Further investigations help landlords to join the dots between cases to spot emerging risks and issues. The positive engagement from landlords has seen the lessons of complaints used to improve policies, process, systems and oversight.  

“These lessons help improve outcomes beyond individual complaints, giving housing professionals insights to make an impact and improving residents’ experiences of housing services. It not only helps landlords grapple with the problems they are facing now, but builds resilience for future challenges.  

“The new process has demonstrated how lessons from complaints can be identified earlier and actions implemented sooner. This has been beneficial for landlords looking to prevent complaints and also meet expectations within the consumer standards. 

“I would encourage all landlords to look at the lessons shared with us to see where they can have most impact within their organisations.” 

Landlord learning statement 

We understand the concerns raised by the Ombudsman and we have been delivering a comprehensive improvement plan, though we still have more to achieve. We welcome feedback that the Ombudsman is satisfied we are aware and making efforts to improve.  

We have strengthened our complaints handling capacity following rising numbers. New roles were introduced in 2024, including senior and specialist managers. We’ve added new Stage 1 officers and a dedicated Stage 2 team to improve complaint resolution.  

Training programmes were refreshed in 2025 to ensure staff understand systems and standards. Complaint handling now has strong executive scrutiny with daily monitoring, escalation processes, monthly reviews by senior leaders, and quarterly reporting to the Board and Customer Services Committee.  

A complaints taskforce was also piloted in September 2025, to improve initial handling of complaints, and has been successfully embedded. As a result of the improvements made to date compliance rates have shown strong and consistent improvement across the last 6 months. Stage 1 and Stage 2 compliance have reached and maintained high levels, with compliance figures now regularly exceeding 94%. Annual reporting shows progress in response times and governance, though we know that customer satisfaction still needs improvement.  

We are improving our repairs service to address historic weaknesses, particularly around leaks, damp and mould. We have a Service Improvement Programme with key objectives around procedure development, role clarity, improved communication and enhanced contractor management and oversight.  We are currently rolling out a new end-to-end repairs management system and new minor works service for repairs which are more complex in nature and strengthened resident liaison and tailored communications.   

Emergency and urgent repairs have consistently met targets, while routine repairs need improvement. Resident satisfaction has improved slightly but is still an area for improvement. Contractor performance is improving under a formal improvement plan, and we hope that our new management system will drive further improvements.    

We have updated our Pest Control Policy and introduced a new system to better track pest reports. We have also implemented a single platform for recording and managing resident vulnerabilities, which is integrated into contact records giving better visibility to all staff.   

We have a new data strategy, governance framework, and reporting tools, and embedding these is a key priority. We acknowledge we have more to do as an organisation, but overall, these are some of the key changes and outcomes we are implementing to improve for our customers. 

Landlord learning statement 

The Housing Ombudsman’s further investigation reinforced the scale of the challenges that we faced during 2022-2023 with too many overdue repairs and complaints. We knew that we had fell short and let some customers down and we are truly sorry to those customers where we should have done better. 

Customer complaints and feedback were central in helping us to understand the root causes of these issues and that delays, inconsistent communication, and our failure to keep promises had eroded the trust of some of our customers- trust that we are absolutely determined to earn back. 

The further investigation process provided a helpful structure for us to demonstrate the positive impact of the recovery plan we put in place in 2023 whilst also helping us to reflect on the work still to do. 

Our people were key to the decisive action we took with dedicated roles focusing on quality assurance, learning and service improvement joining our strengthened complaints service. Informed by our innovative customer insight approach, repairs processes have been redesigned to meet the needs of our more vulnerable customers with demonstrable improvement in customer outcomes. 

Significant progress had already been made pre-merger, with all complaints within target and improved repairs performance, however our merger in December 2024 provided a catalyst for further improvement. Our Board were crystal clear from the very first discussions that the merger had to benefit existing customers with the number one stated aim being to “provide high quality, locally based housing services informed by customer needs, views and priorities.” 

Acknowledging past shortcomings has strengthened our resolve further and early decisions were anchored to this aim. We increased investment in our repairs service, expanded our research to give us a full understanding of our customers, and developed a new customer influence and involvement framework including our Complaints Focus Group to scrutinise performance and better hold us to account. 

We are seeing the positive impact of these changes with complaint response times now consistently meeting or exceeding required timescales, and escalations halved because of stronger quality assurance and earlier resolution. 

We recognise there is still more to do to further reduce outstanding repairs and rebuild customer trust. We welcome the Housing Ombudsman’s findings, which recognise the learning taken from this review and the improvements already made, and we are confident the significant changes implemented will continue to improve our repairs service and overall customer experience. 

Landlord learning statement 

Conscious of the diverse needs of our residents and to ensure effective access our services, we are developing a Customer Access Strategy. The need for improved customer access has become apparent through resident engagement and feedback, Housing Ombudsman determinations, and apparent disproportionality in residents accessing some of our services (albeit based on incomplete data).

Complaints data specifically raised issues with access to services, access for vulnerable residents and accountability and follow-through on our promises. The issue of accessibility was raised by the Housing Ombudsman as part of the Tier 1 investigation under their further investigation powers.

Actions taken or planned:

• delivered themed resident workshops (including complaints and accessibility) to co-design solutions and identify priorities for improvement
• incorporated new accessibility and vulnerability awareness into staff training programmes to strengthen frontline responsiveness and accountability
• launched a Resident Census to collect vulnerability and reasonable adjustments data (update systems to ensure timely identification and support) and introduce prompts to identify and address resident vulnerabilities during complaint handling
• commissioned a disability charity to undertake an accessibility review, with recommendations for improvement currently being prioritised
• revised complaints information to clearly outline the multiple channels for submitting complaints and expanded availability of printed information (including a new Tenants Handbook)
• co-designed and published a new vulnerability policy
• embedded accountability measures into the complaints process to ensure follow-through on commitments
• committed to ongoing resident engagement through a second phase of workshops to test the impact of changes and inform future improvements
• developed action plans to explore and address disproportionality in complaints and repairs, ensuring fair and equitable service delivery

While it is early days, these changes mark a positive step forward in delivering on our commitment to accessibility and accountability.

Improved multi-channel access: noticeable increase in stage 1 complaints via alternative channels in September 2025. 

Improved website accessibility: navigation and information on the housing webpages is easier for all users. 

Enhanced service responsiveness: staff training and system prompts ensure vulnerabilities are considered in every interaction, improving quality and accountability. 

Understanding our residents: the Resident Census will enhance our understanding of resident vulnerabilities and reasonable adjustments, enabling us to tailor services more effectively to individual needs. 

Successful resident engagement: the emergence of a highly engaged group of residents and launch of phase 2 engagement will be monitored through an impact survey and demonstrates to our residents that we will listen to them, and act on their feedback. 

Landlord learning statement 

Through analysis of complaints and Housing Ombudsman determinations, the Council identified recurring issues relating to delays in complaint handling, inconsistent communication, weak recording and use of vulnerability information, and lack of clear ownership across services.  

The further investigation process confirmed these were systemic issues rather than isolated incidents, reflecting weaknesses in governance, processes and consistency of practice. Complaints and Ombudsman findings have therefore been used as a key source of organisational insight to understand where service delivery was not meeting expected standards.  

This analysis has also enabled the landlord to identify where failure occurs most frequently across the service pathway, including areas such as contractor performance and adherence to agreed appointments, and to target improvement activity accordingly. 

The council has implemented, and is embedding, a programme of improvement across 4 areas.

People:  

• strengthened joint working between corporate complaints teams and housing managers, improving ownership of investigations, quality of responses and resolution of issues  

Policies and procedures:

• improved complaints policy processes, including clear timescales, structured responses and consistent redress aligned to Ombudsman guidance 

Governance: 

• enhanced oversight of complaints and Ombudsman cases, including daily performance meetings and strengthened tracking of actions through to implementation  
• all Ombudsman findings are formally reviewed using a standard template, with learning themes identified to improve outcomes  

Systems and organisational learning:

• improved case management through structured tracking, learning logs and vulnerability prompts  
• use of complaints to generate organisational intelligence, identifying themes and driving service improvement on a monthly basis  
• applying a Learning Council approach to embedding learning into core business activity, with a focus on reducing complaint volumes by improving service delivery and getting it right first time  

These actions are already delivering measurable improvements in performance. Stage 1 complaint responses have improved from approximately 70% compliance in July 2025 to 100% in March 2026, with sustained improvement across the final quarter of 2025/26.  

Stage 2 performance has improved from around 50% in mid-2025 to approximately 75–78% by early 2026, demonstrating a sustained upward trend.  

The landlord has also strengthened compliance with Housing Ombudsman orders. All actions are now centrally tracked and implemented within required timescales and there are no overdue cases.  

For residents, this means clearer communication, faster resolution of issues and greater confidence that concerns will be addressed consistently and effectively, leading to service improvement. 

Landlord learning statement 

The further investigation identified systemic weaknesses in the landlord’s complaints handling, highlighting issues with knowledge and information management, repairs services, data accuracy, and support for vulnerable residents, including within RMOs.  

Problems included repair delays, poor communication, inconsistent complaint recording and oversight, weak data assurance, and limited evidence that learning was embedded into service delivery.  

Analysis of complaints casework and performance data confirmed these were wider issues, driven by fragmented governance, inconsistent practices and limited use of data to inform improvement. 

The landlord’s response emphasised the need to strengthen data integrity, improve oversight of repairs and contractors, enhance recording, and better identify and support vulnerable residents, using complaints to drive service improvement.  

Actions taken or planned  

The landlord is delivering a further investigation action plan, building on its original and follow-up responses. Progress is tracked through the Housing Improvement and Transformation (HIT) Plan and reviewed at monthly senior officer meetings. The following actions address the key themes stated in the further investigation, and have been or are in the process of being implemented.

People:

• the restructure of the Housing Management service will address training and qualification issues 
• oversight of RMOs, repairs and contractors has been strengthened, with clearer accountability 
• engagement across housing and corporate complaints teams has improved 
• training is being provided to support consistent understanding of complaint handling requirements 

Policies and procedures:  

• the review of the repairs service has been completed, including escalation and communication processes 
• clearer guidance on complaint definition, recording and escalation has been provided to teams and RMOs 
• complaints and RMO monitoring procedures have been updated and align with the Corporate Complaints Policy and Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code

Governance: 

• regular performance reporting and structured senior-level review of complaints is in place 
• senior management oversee delivery of the further investigation action plan and embed learning

Systems: 

• an overarching technology workstream within HIT Plan coordinates the use of improved data and technology to support service delivery and provide accessibility to customers
• complaints data, including RMO complaints, has been centralised to provide a single and consistent source of information
• data reassurance is being strengthened through improved performance management arrangements

Impact

These actions are improving oversight of complaints and consistency of data recording and reporting. This means improved data capture, stronger senior scrutiny, and regular reviews of themes and performance to inform service delivery. Complaints data is supporting continuous improvement within the department. 

Landlord learning statement 

Through the Ombudsman’s further investigation, supported by our own review of complaints, TSM feedback and operational data, we identified recurring themes in repairs delivery, communication and complaint handling. Complaint casework was critical in evidencing systemic issues, particularly around missed appointments, repeat repairs, lack of ownership of complex cases, and delays or inconsistencies in complaint responses. 

Our analysis confirmed that these issues were not due to an absence of policy or contractual controls, but inconsistent application, fragmented contractor arrangements, and limited real-time visibility of performance. We also recognised gaps in how dissatisfaction was identified and recorded, and how vulnerability was considered in service delivery. 

We have developed and are implementing a comprehensive improvement plan across 4 areas: 

People:

• strengthened capacity and accountability through a dedicated complaints officer, enhanced contact centre, staff training aligned to the Complaint Handling Code, and clearer ownership of complex repairs through named project leads 

Policies and Procedures:

• refreshed complaints policy and guidance, introduced clearer definitions of complaints and service requests, strengthened damp and mould processes aligned to Awaab’s Law, and embedded communication standards including Programme of Works for complex repairs

Governance:

• introduced enhanced oversight including weekly and monthly performance reviews, quarterly reporting to EMT and Board, resident scrutiny through a Complaints Panel, and strengthened monitoring of Ombudsman requests and orders  

Systems:

• progressing towards full system integration through our long-term repairs partner contractor’s procurement to enable real-time performance reporting, alongside improved KPI frameworks, automated resident updates, and enhanced data assurance processes

Early improvements are evident. Complaint handling performance has significantly improved, with 100% compliance in acknowledgement and response times in    2025/26 to date. Repairs satisfaction improved following contractor changes (from c.43–45% to 56%), although we recognise consistency remains a key focus. 

The actions underway will deliver stronger oversight, earlier identification of issues, clearer accountability, and improved resident communication. This will result in a more consistent, transparent and resident-centred service, improving communication, strengthening accountability and reducing repeat issues experienced by residents. We expect further measurable improvements as system integration, contractor mobilisation and governance arrangements become fully embedded through 2026/27. 

We recognise that sustainable improvement requires continued focus, and we remain accountable for delivering the outcomes set out in our action plan and improving resident experience. 

Landlord learning statement 

We are sorry to all residents who experienced service failures in the cases reviewed through this investigation. We recognise the distress and inconvenience this caused and acknowledge that, in those instances, we did not always deliver the standard of service residents should expect from us as their landlord. 

We welcomed the opportunity to engage constructively with the Housing Ombudsman throughout this process. The investigation has been beneficial in helping us to strengthen our processes, our quality assurance and testing whether the improvements we had already started to introduce were addressing root causes. 

Through the Housing Ombudsman’s investigation and our own review of casework, we identified some interconnected issues affecting residents’ experience. Complaints highlighted areas for improvement in complaint handling consistency, responsiveness, as well as gaps in information management, particularly in relation to damp and mould, repairs, and antisocial behaviour cases. 

We have taken a range of actions to address the issues identified. To strengthen complaint handling, we introduced a formal quality assurance framework for all complaint responses, supported by our existing mandatory training. A live case management dashboard also provides a real time view of complaint progress, improving responsiveness and management oversight. 

In relation to knowledge and information management, we finished implementation of Total Mobile, a field-based repairs case management system. This allowed us to keep residents up to date with appointment reminders and improved repair scheduling. We also carried out additional learning on record keeping and the importance of it. 

For damp and mould and health and safety risks, we delivered on our plan to ensure we were prepared for the introduction of Awaab’s law. This included an increase in resource, a staff training programme, a performance monitoring dashboard and a clear governance framework. We also implemented new standardised triage and risk assessment processes. 

Antisocial behaviour processes were clarified, with improved triage, risk assessment and quality checks allowing us to improve consistency and outcomes. 

Complaint volumes have continued to reduce year on year and are now better than the national average. We were pleased the Housing Ombudsman recognised the progress made. 

We have robust plans in place to continue improving our services, embedding learning from complaints, and maintaining oversight through performance monitoring and governance. Our focus remains on learning when things go wrong and providing the best possible housing services to our residents now and in the future.  

Landlord learning statement 

Through complaint investigations, Housing Ombudsman determinations, and the wider further investigation review, Soho Housing identified recurring issues relating to complaint handling, anti-social behaviour (ASB) management, communication, record keeping, and escalation handling. Resident complaints played an important role in helping us understand where our services and operational structure were not working effectively and where residents felt let down by their experience. 

The review identified that our previous patch-based housing management structure created competing operational pressures for Housing Officers, who were managing tenancy matters, repairs liaison, ASB, complaints, estate management, and customer enquiries simultaneously. This reduced capacity for proactive case management, timely communication, and consistent oversight. 

The Ombudsman’s findings and internal reviews highlighted the need for clearer accountability, stronger governance, improved case recording, and a more specialist approach to complaint handling and ASB management. It also reinforced the importance of recognising vulnerability, carrying out risk assessments, and ensuring residents feel heard, informed, and supported throughout the management of their case. 

In response, Soho Housing has implemented significant structural, procedural, and governance changes across the organisation. Dedicated specialist roles have been introduced, including a permanent Complaints and Insight Officer, dedicated ASB Officer, and Customer Services Officers to manage first-point-of-contact enquiries. This has strengthened accountability and improved oversight of resident cases. 

Governance arrangements have also been strengthened through enhanced management oversight, regular Board reporting, updated policies and procedures, quality assurance processes, and targeted staff training covering complaint handling, safeguarding, domestic abuse awareness, victim-centred approaches, and ASB case management. 

We have also strengthened our use of D365 to improve case recording, complaint monitoring, audit trails, and oversight of resident contact and investigation activity. These changes are already resulting in measurable improvements to service delivery and resident experience. Complaint response performance has stabilised, resident satisfaction relating to complaint handling and ASB management has improved, and residents are engaging more confidently with our services. 

While we recognise there is still more work to do, this process has been an important opportunity for learning and reflection across the organisation. We remain committed to embedding these improvements, listening to resident feedback, and continuing to strengthen the quality and responsiveness of the services we provide.