Section: Repairs & Maintenance

News

Housing Ombudsman raises urgent concerns about window-related complaints in social housing

Posted 11.07.24
Housing Ombudsman Service: Further reading

The Housing Ombudsman has issued an open letter to Chief Executives of social housing providers, expressing deep concerns regarding the handling of some window-related complaints.

The Ombudsman's letter highlights a troubling pattern identified from recent casework, where residents' complaints about window disrepair or health and safety issues have not always been adequately addressed by landlords.

The Ombudsman's casework has revealed 3 main issues:

landlords failing to consider individual household circumstances during risk assessments, leading to overlooked health and safety concerns
delays in conducting repairs, often postponed due to cost considerations and planned cyclical works
inadequate communication with residents regarding the operation and safety of newly installed windows

To address these issues, the Ombudsman plans to publish decisions on window-related complaints shortly, which will support landlord learning and improve future responses.

*****

Return to this month's headlines

KeyFacts

KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH ISSUES AFFECTING THE SOCIAL AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SECTORS

NEWS AND VIEWS REPORTED IN BRIEF SUMMARY FORMAT, WITH LINKS FOR FURTHER READING

RECOGNISABLE CATEGORY SECTIONS FOR EASY ACCESS

AN ESSENTIAL FREE RESOURCE FOR ANYONE WITH A BUSY SCHEDULE

EDITED BY MIKE SKILTON

CLICK ON THE SECTIONS BELOW FOR ALL CURRENT POSTS - OR THOSE FOR SELECTED PAST MONTHS

Reporting on July 2024

Central Government
Ministerial Update
Repairs & Maintenance