Complaints from social housing tenants in England have risen sharply, with reports of families living in unsafe and degrading conditions.
According to the Housing Ombudsman’s latest annual review, complaints about poor property standards increased by 43% in the year to March 2024.
The Housing Ombudsman Service received 7,082 formal decisions on cases, up 30% from the previous year, with many involving unresolved repairs, leaks, damp and mould. In total, 26,901 interventions were made to put issues right, and 40% of all compensation was linked to property condition.
The report highlighted disturbing examples of neglect. In Manchester, one household lived for two years with bin bags covering a hole in the ceiling, raising the risk of asbestos exposure. In London, a child’s bedroom window was boarded up for four years, leaving the room dark, draughty and insecure. Another London resident lived without heating or hot water for three years, while a wheelchair user was left unable to access her bedroom or bathroom for two years due to narrow doorways.
The ombudsman ordered £5.4 million in compensation, although the average payout per case fell from £1,151 to £947, suggesting some landlords were beginning to resolve complaints earlier in the process.
Some of England’s largest housing associations were named in the review. London-based L\&Q recorded 77 severe maladministration findings, Lambeth Council 40, and Peabody Trust 34. In total, 120 landlords had 75% or more complaints upheld against them.
Richard Blakeway, the housing ombudsman, said: “Acute pressures remain for some social landlords, with the negative impact on the lives of some residents. There are reoccurring lessons across thousands of complaints, which if addressed could prevent future service failure.”
Despite this, the overall maladministration rate dropped slightly to 71% from 73% last year, with the most severe failings falling from 7% to 5%. Sixteen landlords significantly improved performance, while two providers – North Devon Homes and Pickering and Feren Homes – received multiple complaints but no failings were found.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “Landlords cannot be allowed to rent out dangerous homes and shamelessly put the lives of their tenants at risk. Our new laws will force them to fix problems quickly, so that people are safe in their homes and can be proud to live in social housing.”
Awaab’s Law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died in Rochdale in 2020 from mold exposure, will come into effect on 27 October. It will require landlords to complete emergency repairs, including tackling mold and damp, within 24 hours. However, campaigners have criticized delays to the full rollout, which is not due until 2027.
The sharp rise in complaints signals ongoing failures in England’s social housing system, with tenants continuing to face unacceptable risks in their own homes.
