Residents
This is the information hub for residents of social housing landlords.
Here you can learn about the complaints process, how to make a complaint, as well as read other residents’ experiences which may be similar to what you’re experiencing.
What we do
The Housing Ombudsman Service is set up by law to look at complaints about housing organisations that are registered with us, including housing associations and local authorities.
We resolve disputes involving the tenants and leaseholders of social landlords and our voluntary members (private landlords and letting agents who are committed to good service for their tenants).
We consider complaints using our dispute resolution principles, and encourage landlords and residents to use these principles so they can resolve complaints together at the earliest possible opportunity. As a service we improve by learning from outcomes, and we help individuals and organisations to do the same by learning from best practice across the housing sector.
How we've helped others
Length of tenancy
Ombudsman determined that the landlord’s information about the duration of a tenancy and its decision to cap the gas supply to a property were reasonable
Read moreAgreed works not carried out
A landlord’s response to a complaint about remedial works was unreasonable because it failed to complete all the works that had been agreed and did not return the property to its condition prior to the works
Read moreDisabled adaptations delays
A landlord’s handling of a request for disabled adaptations and subsequent complaint was unreasonable due to delays and lack of redress
Read moreUnderstand the process
Tell your landlord about the problem
The first step is to report the problem to your landlord. If you are having difficulty reporting the issue or are dissatisfied with the service you received in response, we can help you and your landlord resolve the issue. If you think your complaint is not being dealt with correctly, for example if you receive delayed or no response, we can help ensure your complaint is responded to by your landlord.
Complain to a designated person
If you are unable to resolve your complaint through your landlord’s complaints procedure you can contact a designated person who can also help find a solution. The designated person can be an MP, a local councillor or a Tenant Panel. If you have decided not to contact a designated person you can come directly to the Ombudsman eight weeks after your landlord has given you its final response to your complaint.
Escalate your complaint to the Ombudsman
We will deal with each complaint to find the best outcome for your individual circumstances. Depending on the circumstances, once we receive your complaint we may either refer the case to a different organisation, work with you and your landlord to resolve the dispute or carry out an investigation.
Helpful Links
- Customer charter (interim)
- See our videos on making a complaint
- Training and events
- Factsheet: Reporting a problem
- Example letter: Escalating a complaint within a landlord's complaints process (Word doc)
- Factsheet: Our jurisdiction
- Our dispute resolution principles
- Complaint Form
- Landlord performance data
Frequently Asked Questions
“What should I do if my landlord does not respond to my formal complaint?”
Sometimes things get lost in the post or go to the wrong department. It is always worth checking that you have sent the complaint to the right department or person and if necessary resend the complaint. If you still do not get a response you may want to contact a ‘designated person’ who could help you pursue the complaint and work with the landlord to put things right. You can find more information on designated persons here. Our role is to encourage and assist landlords and tenants to resolve a dispute at the earliest opportunity so you may still contact us to talk about your concerns and see if we can help in this way.
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