Our reports
Find all the latest reports from the Housing Ombudsman. View our Spotlight reports on thematic issues, Complaint Handling Failure Orders or quarterly Insight reports.
Latest reports published
Learning from severe maladministration report – April 2025
17 April 2025
Our latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report examines what makes good communication in complaint handling.
Whatever the sector, poor communication can drive complaints. For social housing confident communication is essential.
This report identifies 4 key ingredients to good communication.
- Timely communication.
- Transparent communication.
- Tailored communication.
- Tone of communication.
Housing for Women independent review
3 April 2025
We have ordered an independent review of Housing for Women’s rent recovery practice following a significant failing in its approach to rent arrears and account management.
The landlord incorrectly told a resident they owed over £10,000 in missed rent payments.
Learning from severe maladministration report – March 2025
20 March 2025
Our latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report focuses on the ‘Big 6’ building safety compliance areas.
The 23 complaints involve safety in asbestos, fire, water, gas, electrics and lifts, with issues sometimes interfacing with other disrepair concerns. The cases show the human impact of key obligations not being fulfilled to individuals.
By grouping these cases together, it is possible to map reoccurring points of service failure and identify areas for learning.
Learning from severe maladministration report - February 2025
23 February 2025
Our latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report focuses on inspections and knowledge and information management within damp and mould complaints.
It comes as the government announces the implementation of Awaab’s Law in October 2025. Awaab’s Law will apply to social landlords responding to damp and mould.
Learning from severe maladministration report – February 2025
One Housing independent review
20 February 2025
We ordered One Housing to conduct an independent review after an Ombudsman investigation unearthed incorrect asbestos risk data.
The review found over 800 records of incorrect data on its asbestos register. The inconsistencies in data were caused by multiple factors, including external services being brought in-house and its knowledge and information management.
More reports
Spotlight reports
Our Spotlight reports concentrate on an area of service provision that we see high amount of failure in through our casework. They examine the issues within this theme and set out recommendations.
Special investigation reports
Our special reports follow an investigation carried out under paragraph 49 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, which allows the Ombudsman to conduct further investigations beyond an individual complaint to establish whether any presenting evidence is indicative of a systemic failing.
Quarterly complaint handling reports
Complaint Handling Failure Orders are issued in relation to failings in an individual case where we have taken reasonable steps to seek engagement from a landlord, but the resident remains unable to progress a complaint.
We use our orders, along with other information from cases handled, to generate insight about individual landlords. This can be used as the basis of discussions if there are continued concerns over a sustained period.
Insight reports
Our Insight reports provide insight into our complaints data, a selection of valuable case studies and key learning points and recommendations for the sector.
Their aim is to help landlords to make improvements and deliver better services for residents.
Learning from severe maladministration
We have produced a new report that looks at recent severe maladministration findings. The report groups together several cases, potentially involving different landlords, to examine related themes and lessons, including where vital opportunities were missed to improve outcomes for residents.
Wider orders
We have gained new powers to issue wider orders under the Social Housing Regulation Act, allowing us to not only address individual complaints from a landlord, but also extend fairness and protection to wider residents.
Landlord performance data
Landlord performance data
Our 2023-24 individual landlord performance reports have been published for landlords with 5 or more findings determined between 1 April 2023 and March 2024.
Annual Complaints Review reports
The Housing Ombudsman's Annual Complaints Review provides an overview of the complaints handled in the housing sector each year to promote accountability and transparency.
By publishing data on complaints, we promote transparency in how issues are handled by housing providers. It holds them accountable for services and standards and encourages a commitement to addressing residents concerns.
Landlord complaint statistics
Every quarter we publish landlord statistics giving a snapshot of what we're seeing in complaints.