Who can use the Housing Ombudsman Service
Find out if you can bring a complaint to us, including if you no longer live at the property or want to complain on someone else’s behalf.
On this page
Who can use the service
You can bring a complaint to us if you are or have been in a landlord and tenant relationship with a landlord that is a member of our Scheme.
You can use this service if you are:
- a tenant with a secure, assured, or assured shorthold tenancy
- a person with a licence or other arrangement to occupy a residential property
- a leaseholder or shared owners
- an applicant for a leasehold or shared ownership property owned or managed by a member of our Scheme
You cannot use this service if you are:
- a freeholder – even if you pay an estate or service charge
- someone who pays rent to a landlord for a non-residential space, such as a garage or parking space that is unrelated to your home
- squatting without a legal relationship with the landlord
- a lodger or family member staying with the tenant and not named on the tenancy agreement
If you no longer live in the property
You can still bring a complaint to us if you no longer live at the property, as long as you had a landlord and tenant relationship at the time the complaint issue arose.
You should complain as soon as you become aware of the complaint issue. You must raise your complaint within 12 months of the date the issue arose. We may decide not to investigate your complaint if you raise it more than 12 months after the issue occurred.
Other situations where we will consider a complaint
We can also consider a complaint if any of the following apply to you:
- you applied for a property with a landlord that is a member of our Scheme - this does not include a homelessness or housing application to the council
- you have applied to succeed a tenancy, or you are the successor to a tenancy where the tenant has passed away
- you are trying to take over a tenancy by assignment or mutual exchange, or have already done so
- you have matrimonial home rights
- you hold a court order, or power of attorney covering property and finances, for someone in a landlord-and-tenant relationship. If there is a restriction in the power of attorney, we may require more information from a GP or social worker to confirm the tenant no longer has capacity
- you have signed authority to represent a resident
Find out more about bringing a complaint to this service for somebody else
If you are not sure whether you can use our service, complete our online complaint form and upload a copy of your complaint. We will ask for information about you and your tenancy.
Complaints outside of England
If you live outside England, another Ombudsman may be able to help you with your complaint about social housing:
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman
Scotland
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
Wales
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What the Ombudsman can consider
What we can and cannot consider is called the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.
When to get help from the Housing Ombudsman
Find out how to make an effective complaint to your landlord and what you need to bring the complaint to us.
Which Ombudsman for social housing complaints
This page sets out the social housing complaint categories that should be referred to either the Housing Ombudsman or the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.