Social housing complaints procedure

If you live in social housing in England and need to make a complaint about your landlord, the standard procedure has two internal stages — Stage 1 and Stage 2 — followed by the option to take your case to the Housing Ombudsman. Every registered social landlord must follow this process under the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code. Our index of published determinations currently holds 16,224 Housing Ombudsman decisions, including findings that landlords failed to follow their own complaints procedures.

Understanding the procedure before you start helps you set expectations, meet the right deadlines, and build a stronger case if you need to escalate. This guide explains each stage, what the law and the Code require, and what to do if your landlord does not respond.

Stage 1: making your complaint

Stage 1 is the first formal stage of the social housing complaints procedure. When you raise an issue with your landlord, you should ask explicitly for it to be logged as a formal Stage 1 complaint. This triggers the landlord's obligations under the Complaint Handling Code and ensures the time limits apply. If you only raise the issue informally — for example, a phone call or a message to a housing officer — the landlord may not treat it as a formal complaint, and your rights to a timely response may not be protected.

Put your complaint in writing. An email is fine, but keep a copy and ask for a read receipt. State clearly what went wrong, when it happened, and what you want the landlord to do to put things right. Include any evidence: photos of disrepair, a dated log of anti-social behaviour incidents, copies of previous repair requests, or names of staff you spoke to. The clearer your complaint, the harder it is for the landlord to miss the point or provide a generic response.

Under the Complaint Handling Code, your landlord must acknowledge your Stage 1 complaint promptly and issue a full response within ten working days. If the landlord needs more time, it must explain why and give you a revised date. The response should address each of your concerns, explain the landlord's decision, and set out any remedy it is offering. If you are satisfied, the complaint closes. If not, you can escalate to Stage 2.

Stage 2: escalating for a final review

Stage 2 is the final stage of your landlord's internal complaints process. If the Stage 1 response does not resolve your complaint — or you believe the landlord did not investigate properly — you can ask for a Stage 2 review. Some landlords call this an "appeal" or a "review"; the name does not matter, but the process must meet the Ombudsman's standards.

At Stage 2, the landlord must carry out a fresh, impartial review and issue a final response within twenty working days. When you escalate, explain clearly why the Stage 1 response was inadequate. Reference specific points the landlord missed, evidence it overlooked, or new information that has come to light. The Stage 2 response should address each concern in full, explain the reasoning behind any decision, and set out what action the landlord will take.

Once you receive the Stage 2 final response — or once the twenty-working-day deadline passes without a response — you have exhausted the landlord's internal process. Do not feel pressured to accept an inadequate response just because it is labelled "final." The Housing Ombudsman exists precisely for situations where the landlord's own process has not put things right. For more on how to frame your case, see our guide on how to complain about your housing association.

The Complaint Handling Code

The Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code sets the standards every member landlord must meet. A good complaints process is easy to access, acknowledges complaints promptly, keeps residents informed throughout, investigates fairly and thoroughly, and provides clear responses that explain the decision and any remedy offered. The Code also requires landlords to learn from complaints — identifying patterns, fixing systemic problems, and telling residents what has changed as a result.

If your landlord falls short of these standards — for example, by refusing to log your complaint formally, missing deadlines without explanation, or providing a response that ignores your concerns — that shortfall can itself form part of your complaint to the Ombudsman. Unreasonable delays, poor communication, a refusal to follow policy, and failure to keep accurate records are all common grounds for adverse findings. Our guide to the Complaint Handling Code explained goes deeper into what the Code requires and how to spot when a landlord is breaching it.

Understanding what the Ombudsman considers maladministration helps you frame your complaint around specific failings rather than general frustration. The more specific and evidence-based your complaint, the stronger your position — and the clearer it is for the Ombudsman to reach a fair determination.

Escalating to the Housing Ombudsman

The Housing Ombudsman is a free, independent service that resolves disputes between residents and social landlords. You can submit a complaint directly through the Ombudsman's website. Since 2023, you no longer need a designated person — such as an MP or local councillor — to refer your complaint. This removed a barrier that previously delayed many residents from getting justice.

When you submit your complaint, include copies of your correspondence with the landlord, the Stage 1 and Stage 2 responses (if any), and a clear timeline of events. The Ombudsman will first check that your complaint is within its jurisdiction — for example, that the issue relates to your home or tenancy and is not already before a court. After accepting your complaint, the Ombudsman gathers evidence from both sides and reaches a determination on each part of your complaint.

Where the Ombudsman finds against your landlord, it issues orders the landlord must comply with. These commonly include an apology, financial compensation, completing outstanding repairs, reviewing a policy, and staff training. The Ombudsman monitors compliance and can publish follow-up reports if a landlord delays. For more on the Ombudsman process, see our guide on how to complain to the Housing Ombudsman.

Sources

• Housing Ombudsman Service — Make a complaint
• Housing Ombudsman Service — Complaint Handling Code and guidance
• Legislation.gov.uk — for underlying housing and tenancy legislation
• GOV.UK — for social housing regulation and resident rights

This page is an information resource and does not constitute legal advice. If you need support with your complaint, free advice is available from Citizens Advice and Shelter.