Complain about a council or housing association

You can complain to:

• the council or housing association first

• an ombudsman if you're not happy with the response

An ombudsman is a free, independent service that can resolve complaints.

When to ask for a review instead

Sometimes it's better to ask for a review before making a complaint.

You usually have to ask for a review with 3 weeks of a written decision from the council.

You can ask for a review of a decision about:

• the housing register

• your homeless application

• a housing benefit claim

• a tenancy transfer if you're homeless, overcrowded or in very bad housing conditions

The council usually does the review. Some councils pass this responsibility to a housing association or other organisation.

You can still complain if you're not happy with the outcome of your review.

Complain to the council or housing association

Social landlords must make it easy for tenants and leaseholders to complain in different ways. For example:

• in person

• over the phone

• by email or letter

• through their website

You can find your council complaints team on GOV.UK

Search for the right team at your housing association on their website.

Ask for a copy of the complaints process.

Keep records

For example:

• emails or letters you send or receive

• complaint or case reference numbers

• a note of any missed appointments or call backs

If you speak to someone, keep a record of what is said and who you speak to.

The council or housing association response

They must write in clear plain language and give:

• a decision and reasons

• details of any offer to put things right or actions they will take

• information on how to take your complaint to the next stage if you are not happy

Councils and housing associations must have a 2 stage complaints process for their tenants and leaseholders. This means you can ask them to look at your complaint again if you're not happy with their decision.

How long should it take?

Your landlord has 5 working days to write to you to tell you they have received your complaint.

Your landlord must reply to your complaint in:

• 10 working days when you first complain

• 20 working days if you ask them to look at it again

This is counted from when they tell you they have received your complaint.

Complain to an ombudsman

You can complain to an ombudsman about both:

• the original problem or bad service

• how your complaint was dealt with

Which ombudsman?

You can complain to either the:

• Housing Ombudsman

• Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO)

Which one depends on what the original problem was.

Sometimes the 2 organisations work together to look into a complaint.

Housing Ombudsman

Social housing tenants and leaseholders can complain to the Housing Ombudsman.

This ombudsman looks at complaints about:

• damp and repairs

• disability adaptions

• rent and service charges

• tenancy rights and eviction

• non urgent housing transfers

• home swaps and mutual exchange

• leaseholder problems

• complaints processes

Check the full list of what the Housing Ombudsman can look at.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO)

Anyone can complain to the LGCSO if you've had a bad service from the council.

This ombudsman looks at complaints about:

• homeless applications

• urgent housing transfers

• overcrowded housing

• housing register applications and bands

• housing benefit administration

• no safety inspections of private rented housing (HHSRS)

• lack of enforcement of private housing safety and repairs

• poor response to reported harassment or illegal eviction

Check the full list of what the LGSCO can look at.

What happens next

The ombudsman decides if they can look into the complaint.

They write to you with reasons if they decide not to investigate. 

The Housing Ombudsman may try to solve problems within 2 months without a formal investigation using their early resolution process.

Most cases are decided within 6 months. A formal investigation can take up to a year.

The ombudsman can ask everyone involved for more information.

Ombudsman decision

The ombudsman writes to you with their decision when the investigation is complete.

They often publish an anonymised version of the decision on their website.   

If the ombudsman upholds your complaint, they could ask the council to:

• apologise

• pay some compensation

• improve their procedures

• make a decision or provide a service that they should have done

The council does not legally have to follow an ombudsman decision but they usually do.