The Housing Ombudsman says their “signs of cautious optimism” about landlord performance despite the number of complaints continuing to rise.

According to the ombudsman’s Annual Complaints Review 2024-25, there was a 2% fall in the overall maladministration rate, a 7% drop for complaint handling and a 9% decrease in fault handling anti-social behaviour.

In another encouraging sign, the ombudsman reports that landlords are now taking the initiative on putting things right – with 800 more instances where the landlord took “reasonable steps” without being ordered to do so first.

However, complaints performance remains mixed across social landlords. There were 120 landlords where 75% or more complaints were upheld while 131 landlords received at least one finding of severe maladministration, some several times. The overall maladministration rate stands at 71%, which in the ombudsman’s view remains “too high”.

According to the review, 16 landlords “significantly improved” their performance this year and there were two landlords – North Devon Homes and Pickering and Feren Homes – where the ombudsman investigated several complains without finding any failings.

Poor property condition continues to dominate the ombudsman’s casework with a 43% increase in findings – far above the overall rise in investigations – with no improvement in the maladministration rate. The findings also show that local authority landlords are facing acute pressures handling housing complaints, alongside medium-sized housing associations.

The review also sets out the impact of poor services and housing conditions on residents’ lives. Investigations showed:

• A household living for two years with bin bags covering a hole in their living room ceiling with the risk of asbestos
• Another resident living for three years without functioning heating and hot water
• A child living with their bedroom window boarded up for four years, with the family worried about excess cold.

Overall, the ombudsman made 26,901 interventions to put things right, with 40% of compensation related to leaks, damp, and mould.

Housing Ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, said: “Governing bodies will determine whether complaints are seen as a threat or an opportunity. Our annual review provides them with a strategic moment to reflect on their organisation’s progress.

“Re-examination can be an unforgiving lens. But there are reoccurring lessons across thousands of complaints, which if addressed could prevent future service failure. Culture, communication, and data integrity are pivotal to the outcome of a complaint.

“This review shows the first signs of the sector’s complaint handling improving. It is from a high failure rate and focus cannot be diverted. Still, it shows some things are starting to work.

“But improvements are not universal and are being made quicker by some than others. Acute pressures remain for some social landlords, with the negative impact on the lives of some residents.

“This review is an opportunity to look afresh at how to improve practice, policy, and performance. And our proactive interventions with some landlords to promote learning from complaints will remain vital.

“Landlords work in a complex and changing environment. This will include more use of Artificial Intelligence by both landlords and residents in the complaints process. It also includes legal and regulatory changes.

“The advent of Awaab’s Law, a reformed Decent Homes Standard, and the Regulator of Social Housing’s Competence and Conduct Standard could transform housing management over the next decade.

“To ensure the success of these measures, landlords must continue to learn from complaints for the benefit of this and future generations.”