All local authority landlords and housing associations must ensure that their complaint handling processes are accessible and consistent, Ombudsman says.
A new report from the Housing Ombudsman shows that the Ombudsman had to issue 22 complaint handling failure orders in the first quarter of 2022-23, April to June 2022.
The orders were issued to 19 landlords over the three-month period, including eight councils, 10 housing associations and one housing co-op. In 17 cases, landlords complied with the orders and there were five cases of non-compliance.
The purpose of complaint handling failure orders is to ensure that a landlord’s complaint handling process is accessible, consistent and enables the timely progression of complaints.
The Ombudsman reminded all landlords that by 1 October 2022 they should have self-assessed against the Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code and published it on their websites. They are then required to do it on an annual basis.
Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: ‘We know there are immense financial pressures on landlords, but it is crucial that we don’t see a deterioration in complaint handling services. In fact, challenging times mean complaints and their insight are increasingly important to help maintain effective service areas.
‘It’s vital for complaint teams to be respected and adequately resourced to deal with complaints effectively and ensure the landlord learns, improves and prevents service failure.’
