NHF response to the consultation on the Housing Ombudsman Service's Business Plan 2024 to 2025

The Housing Ombudsman has been consulting on its business plan for 2024-25. We have worked with our members to submit a strong response to the consultation, reflecting the sector's views.  

In our response, we acknowledge that the Housing Ombudsman needs to respond to increased demands on its service. However, we want to make sure the service works for housing associations and for residents by delivering value for money and an effective service.

A summary of our response 

At the NHF, we support the introduction of more proactive regulation and the new legal obligations to comply with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code. We believe the Code will support consistent complaint processes and help make sure residents have access to quick redress when things go wrong.  

We know housing associations are committed to providing safe, secure and affordable homes for all their residents. However, we want to make sure the changes work for housing associations and allow them to support their residents. In our response, we said:  

• We support the Housing Ombudsman’s focus on improving local complaint handling and providing tools to support learning within the sector. 
• We think the proposal to introduce a ‘polluter pays’ model within the fees regime could have unintended consequences. 
• There is a potential economic impact for housing associations due to the increased fee level, in an already challenging economic environment. It is important the Housing Ombudsman demonstrates value for money.  
• Barriers to effective complaint handling could be addressed through measures such as improving service standards, providing guidance to the sector, and ensuring greater transparency to moderation, appeals and compensation processes.  
• We welcome the opportunity to work with the Housing Ombudsman Service to ensure residents are empowered and have access to quick and fair redress.