New Freedom of Information (FOI) research has revealed the scale and nature of housing-related complaints received by councils across England, with repairs emerging as the most significant issue for residents.
The research, conducted by landlord insurance specialists Alan Boswell Group, found that repairs are the most common complaint category overall, accounting for 18,699 complaints across all councils analysed. Response times and perceived lack of action ranked second, with a further 4,949 complaints.
The London Borough of Hackney recorded the highest number of housing complaints, receiving 5,982 in total. Repairs were the leading issue at 1,762 complaints, followed by concerns around response times and delays, which generated 1,614 complaints.
Lambeth ranked second nationally with 4,044 complaints, again led by repairs and followed by allocations and lettings. Sheffield City Council placed third overall and was the highest outside London, with 3,019 complaints.
The findings also show that London councils face disproportionately high complaint levels, with seven of the 25 councils receiving the most complaints located in the capital.
.png)
