It will discuss the terminology used in Ombudsman decisions and the associated powers the Ombudsman has to make orders and recommendations.  It will also cover the Ombudsman’s wider powers, including to initiate broader ‘systemic’ investigations and issues Complaint Handling Failure Orders (CHFOs).

This session will share practical tips for responding to information requests so that landlords give themselves the best chance of presenting a full and fair picture of each case. It will also discuss when and how to challenge Ombudsman decisions following a formal investigation. This will include working through some real examples of successful reviews.

Who should attend?

Housing professionals of all levels, especially complaints, housing management, legal, governance and customer experience teams who work with the Housing Ombudsman Service regularly.

You will learn:

• Membership obligations under the Housing Ombudsman Scheme
• The Ombudsman’s jurisdiction for investigating complaints – what it can and cannot consider
• To understand the terminology used in Ombudsman decisions – from “reasonable redress” to “severe maladministration”
• The Ombudsman’s powers under the Scheme and the Complaint Handling Code
• How to respond effectively to information requests
• How to request a review of an Ombudsman decision and when this may be appropriate.

Format

Half-day interactive workshop with case studies, checklists and practical guides you can take back to your organisation.

Note: The session is informational and does not constitute legal advice.’

Dave Simmons is the company Director of the Housing Mediators which provides a mediation service focusing on housing and workplace disputes, as well as a training and support service for landlords specialising in effective complaint management.

He spent 15 years at the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) where he worked as an Adjudicator and Sector Engagement Lead and his achievements included leading on the project to write and publish the first Complaint Handling Code. After this, Dave spent two years as Peabody’s Compliance Operations Manager, where his duties included overseeing compliance with the HOS.

Dave is a long-term associate of HQN and Tpas (Tenant Engagement Experts) and in his various roles he has delivered hundreds of training workshops, forums and webinars to the housing sector covering a breadth of subjects. He has also written dozens of briefings and best practice documents which he currently continues to do in his capacity as HQN’s Complaints Hub Lead.

He is an experienced accredited mediator and has mediated on a wide range of disputes including family, community and workplace. As a Board Trustee of Croydon Community Mediation, he co-produces newsletters which promote learning and knowledge sharing for its small team of community mediators.

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.