Housing Ombudsman sets out lessons from root cause analysis to ‘inform responses to new issues’
25 June 2026
We have released our latest Insight report, providing an overview of the common themes from our further investigation reports.
We have released our latest Insight report, providing an overview of the common themes from our further investigation reports.
Where our data identifies reoccurring service failings, we engage with landlords to understand what is causing the issues. We then identify whether it is policies, processes, systems, or governance and oversight.
These investigations are designed to improve landlord accountability for delivering better services, helping to prevent complaints.
In this Insight report, we have highlighted common themes, causes, and lessons. We have focused on what sources of evidence we used to arrive at our findings and recommendations. We also share lessons from the landlords and how they made improvements.
Landlords can use this report to consider how to discover potential weaknesses in their service provision. It can support their own approaches to identifying root causes of repeated failures and strengthen learning from complaints, a principle of the Complaint Handling Code. This can help inform landlord approaches to improved service delivery and providing assurance to the Member Responsible for Complaints. These also help as landlords prepare for new requirements such as Awaab’s Law and the incoming Decent Homes Standard.
We looked at 4 key areas that made up the most consistent types of failing.
In recognition of the greater emphasis placed on landords ability to conduct root cause analysis, our Centre for Learning are offering free Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training. We are providing a 3 tiered approach including an introduction, intermediate, and advanced course on root cause analysis. This will be available to all member landlords from autumn 2026.
Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: “This report encourages peer-to-peer learning based on our deeper dives into individual landlords.
“We have seen a doubling of investment into repairs and maintenance, a raising of standards, and greater accountability. But none of the structural pressures have eased: inflation, skills shortages, ageing homes, and competing demands all remain. This will prove an ongoing challenge for landlords.
“Yet reading this report can give you a tremendous sense of optimism.
“Because it shows what change can be achieved and how outcomes can be improved, for both residents and landlords, through a combination of practical steps.
“This report’s lessons are transferable not only between organisations but to inform responses to new issues. This includes the next phase of Awaab’s Law and the likely shift to major works, driven by net zero and the new Decent Homes Standard.
“Early lessons from our Awaab’s Law casework suggests some issues triaging cases and responding to material changes in the household’s circumstances.
“This report is also part of our response to managing the demand for our intervention. Our case volumes have risen 500% since 2021-22. We complete over half of our investigations within 6 months, but we want to respond more quickly to all cases. This requires new ways of working but also preventing complaints. This calls for a renewed effort to address root causes and respond to the lessons identified in complaints.
“Quite rapidly, this could see fewer complaints, fewer escalating to the Ombudsman and faster decisions by us.”