Our response to the Housing Ombudsman’s consultation on the Complaint Handling Code

The Housing Ombudsman Service has consulted on their Complaint Handling Code, ushered in by the Social Housing Regulation Act.

We welcome the consultation and support the aims of the Code to help housing associations handle complaints consistently. At the NHF, we know our members are already working to ensure they provide the services that residents expect from their landlord and are continuously taking steps to improve their complaints handling process.

We’ve been engaging with our members to gather feedback on this consultation and have now published these in our sector-wide response.

A summary of our response

We support the aims of the Code, and welcome positive changes to the way complaints are handled for residents. We particularly support the proposal for a longer period for residents to make complaints.

However, we are concerned about some parts of the Code. For example, the Code outlines that complaints can either be upheld or not upheld, but some cases can be complex, and it can be helpful to take a more nuanced approach. We know our members would also like clarity around the timeline for the introduction of the new reporting requirements.

We are also asking for more clarity around when the new reporting requirements will be introduced to housing associations.

We are looking forward to collaborating closely with the Housing Ombudsman Service in the new year to make sure changes work for the sector and ensure residents have access to quick and fair redress when things go wrong.  

If you have any questions about our response, or would like to tell us your feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us using the contact details below.