The Housing Ombudsman has also partnered with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to extend the Code across all local government functions to promote effective complaint handling.

For councils who are landlords, this will end the two-tier system with housing management and corporate complaints.

For social landlords already under the Complaint Handling Code, there will be few changes with the main provisions of proposed statutory Code unchanged.

While social landlords have had to meet the obligations within the Code since it was introduced three years ago, under a statutory Code landlords will have to demonstrate they are meeting the requirements of the Code, including submitting their completed self-assessment to the Housing Ombudsman, and the Ombudsman will have new powers under its duty to monitor to hold landlords to account on complaint handling.

The Housing Ombudsman is keen to hear from landlords across the sector as part of the consultation and you can use this webinar to ask questions that are not answered by its FAQs. Please note, we will not be taking any other case queries at this event, solely Complaint Handling Code consultation questions.

Following on from the HOS presentation HQN’s Complaints Hub leads, Dave Simmons and John Goodwin, will facilitate a discussion with delegates about the implications of the changes.

Verity Richards, The Housing Ombudsman

Verity Richards joined the Housing Ombudsman as the Head of Dispute Support in March 2021 after spending over 12 years working at a large, national housing association in various roles. She is a Member of the Chartered Management Institute and the Chartered Institute of Housing and uses her skills and experience to ensure that we intervene fairly where there is evidence of delays in complaint handling by member landlords.

Since joining the Housing Ombudsman, Verity has overseen the expansion of our Dispute Support teams, developed our Customer Charter, refined our approach to managing unacceptable behaviours and delivered operational changes to case handling following changes set out in the Building Safety Act. Verity is the operational lead for the interactive online portal, having been involved in its design, development and trial prior to roll out in 2023.

Her current focus is leading operational change in response to the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 20203 to ensure that landlords comply with the statutory Complaint Handing Code and that a strategic, intelligence-led approach is embedded in the Dispute Support function.

John Goodwin, Consultant, HQN

John Goodwin is a housing trainer and consultant, with extensive experience in the social housing sector, particularly in complaint-handling, resident involvement and governance.

John was Compliance and Systemic Lead at the Housing Ombudsman Service until 2022, responsible for addressing systemic failings by landlords. He was involved in drafting the Ombudsman’s first ‘Complaint Handling Code’ and for delivering training to landlords, residents and others to improve complaint-handling and learning from complaints across the sector.

Prior to joining the Ombudsman, John spent ten years with the Audit Commission’s Housing Inspectorate – inspecting a range of housing organisations and services. John previously worked for Shelter in several roles, including Head of Legal Services and Editor of ROOF magazine. He began his housing career in homelessness, housing advice and resettlement with a London borough.

John has written and edited a number of publications including: ‘Built to Last’ (a history of British housing policy). John is also an accredited mediator and a trustee and past chair of a social care charity.

Dave Simmons, Consultant, HQN

Dave Simmons currently works as a dispute resolution improvement manager for a large housing association.

He is an experienced trainer in complaints handling in the housing sector covering a wide range of subject areas. He was formerly Sector Development Lead at the Housing Ombudsman Service where he was responsible for the writing and delivery of training workshops, webinars and forms to different audiences including residents, landlords and Boards. Dave also led on the project to produce the Ombudsman’s first ‘Complaint Handling Code’ which sets out best practice complaint handling for the sector.

Outside of his full time roles, Dave’s training experience extends to his work as as associate for Tpas (tenant engagement experts). He is also an experienced accredited mediator and has mediated on a wide range of disputes including family, community and workplace. As well as his private mediation work, he volunteers for a community mediation charity in Croydon where he is a Board Trustee.

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