Under powers handed to it under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, the Housing Ombudsman will be issuing a best practice guide that has been designed to establish a framework to help landlords ‘solve problems that regularly result in tenants’ complaints’.

Lengthy consultation

It has being produced following a lengthy consultation process with landlords, tenants and stakeholders that began in the spring of last year.

The consultation concentrated on the kinds of areas where the ombudsman thought the guide would be most useful and included:

How to make an effective apology

Deciding on appropriate levels of compensation

Effective complaint handling during merger or stock transfer

Effective root cause analysis of complaints

Knowledge and information management

Good practice will be a valuable tool for landlords to test approaches and improve using the insights of complaint.”

Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway says: “Good practice will be a valuable tool for landlords to test approaches and improve using the insights of complaints.

“As with all learning from complaints, the right culture and behaviours will produce the greatest benefits rather than a tick-box exercise”.

He adds: “This guidance will share the good we see in our casework which can sometimes be overshadowed by examples of where things have gone wrong.

“We will highlight approaches where landlords have delivered person-centred services rather than follow ‘copy and paste’ policies, which can often fail in the current and complex operating environment.”

“It will also share practical lessons and aims to reduce the need for residents to raise a complaint or refer their case to the Ombudsman.”

Industry comment

Commenting on the new guide, Dave Seed, Managing Director of Qube Residential said, “The Grenfell Inquiry revealed accounts of interactions plagued by “distrust, dislike, personal antagonism, and anger,” highlighting a profound communication breakdown that left residents feeling unheard and devalued.

“Addressing this divide is crucial. I hope by focusing on positive examples of resident engagement and complaint handling, landlords and tenants can take meaningful steps towards preventing detachment and moving away from a negative ‘us vs. them’ dynamic.

“The Housing Ombudsman’s guidance promises to be a vital tool for landlords to improve using the insights of complaints, with practical lessons that reduce the need for residents to refer their case to the Ombudsman. This provides an opportunity to rebuild trust in the sector.

“However, the success of this initiative will hinge on its adoption and the genuine commitment of landlords to change their attitudes toward residents, creating a positive culture for residents to raise concerns and have access to an impartial service to resolve any disputes.”

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