Spotlight report on attitudes, respect and rights – relationship of equals
Published in January 2024
Report summary
The cost-of-living crisis, increase in mental health difficulties and housing shortages have changed the landscape for landlords to an increasingly challenging and complex environment to navigate. There is a pressing need for landlords to create human-centric policies, adapt to meet the needs of all their residents and ensure the most vulnerable residents are not left behind. For many landlords, their current approach is potentially inadequate for responding effectively to the needs of the population it serves.
Central to this report is what it means to be vulnerable in social housing today, but also most importantly, how landlords can respond effectively and how to do so without stigma or marginalisation.
Key themes in this report
This report focuses heavily on people and processes, looking at:
- vulnerabilities
- reasonable adjustments
- discrimination
- contact restrictions
- contractors
- investigation allegations
- service charges
- complaints handling
The featured case studies in this report have been selected to illustrate the range of findings and outcomes and how lessons can be drawn from those to share more widely.
The full report
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If there is another format you'd like this report in, contact us and we can make the necessary arrangements.
View the report presentation
View this presentation to understand why we choose to do a spotlight on attitudes, respect and rights, the research we did, and the call for evidence data.
Evaluate against this report
The Housing Ombudsman found a pressing need for landlords to create human-centric policies, adapt to meet the needs of all their residents and make sure the most vulnerable residents are not left behind. For many landlords, the approach taken at the time of the report was potentially inadequate for responding effectively to the needs of the population it serves.
We want to know what impact the report has had
We are reviewing what changes and actions landlords have made in respect to this vital topic as a result of the report and its recommendations.
Please provide us with a summary of any changes made, or actions taken, since the report’s publication, including good practice and positive outcomes.
Please feel free to submit any supporting documentation with your response. The response needs to be sent to insight@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Further learning on attitudes, respect and rights
Attitudes, respect and rights
Poor communication is often the root cause of housing complaints, eroding trust and leading to escalating issues.
Discover resident and landlord guidance, reports, and training options to help you understand this key topic.
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