People who are not council tenants can now formally complain about how local authorities manage social housing, following new powers that came into force today under the Renters' Rights Act.
Changes to the Local Government Act 1974, effective from 1 May 2026, extend the jurisdiction of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) to cover complaints from non-tenants about local authority social housing management.
Previously, neither the LGSCO nor the Housing Ombudsman could investigate such complaints, leaving people with no independent avenue for redress once a council's own complaints process had been exhausted. The Housing Ombudsman will continue to handle complaints from tenants.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Amerdeep Clarke described the change as significant and long-overdue,’ adding that it would provide ‘the independent scrutiny and redress that the public deserves.’
‘I would encourage all local authority complaint managers to familiarise themselves with the new arrangements and the signposting tool we have developed,’ the Ombudsman added.
