When to complain
This content applies to England only.
Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland
If you want to complain, do it promptly. You may forget facts and lose papers, and so may the people you are complaining about. It is also very important to be aware that there may be time limits for taking further action.
When a complaint is appropriate
First, you need to work out whether your problem is something that you should complain about. You can complain about a person or an organisation if:
- they have done something wrong or badly
- they have not done something which they should have done
- they have treated you badly, for example, they have been rude.
Bear in mind that making a complaint isn’t always your best option. It may be better to challenge certain legal issues in other ways. For example, if you are unhappy with a decision that has been made about your homelessness application, you should consider requesting a review or appealing. In some cases, you may be able to get the decision itself changed by doing this.
Get in touch with a local advice centre if you are not sure whether making a complaint is your best option. Use our directory to find one in your area.
What you could complain about
There are no set rules about what you should complain about and what you should not complain about, but making a complaint might be effective if your landlord, lender, agent or local council has:
- repeatedly failed to carry out repairs
- carried out repairs badly
- been rude or abusive towards you
- harassed you
- discriminated against you because of your sex, your racial or ethnic background, your religion or beliefs, your sexual orientation, or because you are disabled
- failed to keep proper records (eg of your rent payments)
- failed to deal with noise nuisance or antisocial behaviour
- failed to respond to your letters or provide information you have asked for
- caused unreasonable delays
- disclosed confidential information about you.
What you should not complain about
When you first notice something that needs dealing with, such as something needing repair, noise or antisocial behaviour, or an error in your rent account, your first action should be to report it. Your first report is not a complaint. You only need to complain if the problem is not dealt with properly.
In certain cases, making a complaint may not be your best option. This includes, for example:
- serious injury or a large claim for money – you should get advice from a solicitor about bringing a claim for compensation
- serious crime, for example, a theft or violent assault - you should report it to the police
- things which are your responsibility
- trivial problems
- the amount of your rent – see the page on rent assessment committees
- appeals involving public authorities (eg homelessness reviews and appeals).
A dispute that is already being dealt with by alternative dispute resolution (ADR) or by going to court.
Who to complain about
It may be possible to make a complaint about:
- your landlord (it doesn’t matter whether they are the council, a housing association or a private landlord, although procedures will be slightly different)
- your freeholder
- managing agents, letting agents or estate agents (you may be able to complain about agents as well as, or instead of, the landlord or freeholder)
- solicitors or licensed conveyancers
- your mortgage lender or providers of other financial services.
In addition, anyone can complain about litter, dog fouling, fly tipping, noise, antisocial behaviour or about problems with council services, to the council.
