Campaign encourages social tenants to complain to landlords

The government has launched a campaign encouraging social tenants to complain to their landlord before escalating to the Housing Ombudsman.

The "Make Things Right" campaign will run across social media platforms including neighbourhood app NextDoor, and on radio stations and streaming platforms like Spotify and will feature images of black mould and leaking ceilings.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove said: "Too many social housing tenants are being let down and ignored. This government is determined to stand up for them and give them a proper voice. They deserve a decent, safe and secure home, just like everybody else.

"So we are shining a light on rogue landlords that ignore their tenants time and again and allow families to live in disrepair.

"This campaign will make sure tenants know their rights and how to make a complaint – giving them the confidence to go to the Ombudsman and ensure action is taken."

The government's social housing resident panel featuring over 200 residents found that 65 per cent of members said their experiences of raising complaints with their landlord were unsatisfactory. The problems identified include the time taken for complaints to be addressed and resolved; disrespectful conduct, lack of communication, or inaccuracy of information; lack of repercussions for landlords if residents are not taken seriously or complaints are not resolved satisfactorily; and the burden and complexity of the complaints process.

According to figures from the English Housing Survey, almost a third of social renters considered making a complaint in 2020-21, but 27 per cent chose not to because they thought nothing would be done in response.

Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said: "Effective complaint handling starts with landlords getting things right first time. If and when things do go wrong, landlords must fix the issue, apologise, offer appropriate compensation, and show they have learnt from those errors.

"If that doesn’t happen then residents can take their complaint to us at the Housing Ombudsman. We’re free, independent and impartial in order to help residents and landlords find a resolution to their complaint."

Image by Mabel Amber from Pixabay