The Housing Ombudsman has published its Business Plan for 2026-27, setting out how it will respond to rising demand and “deliver faster, fairer outcomes for residents”.

The ombudsman says it developed the plan in consultation with landlords, residents, and stakeholders.

The number of cases the ombudsman has accepted for investigation has risen nearly 500% in five years. In 2020-21 it accepted 2,253 cases – by 2025-26, the number had grown to over 13,000. The ombudsman predicts a further 60% increase in 2026-27, and forecasts that, without further action, caseloads will exceed 21,000 by the end of 2027-28.

To address this, its Business Plan sets out a phased approach focused on three priorities:

• Stopping the number of open cases from growing
• Resolving older cases more quickly
• Delivering faster outcomes for residents.

The ombudsman hopes to increase its caseworker headcount by almost 80 and invest in digital systems to work more efficiently, while also resolving less complex cases more quickly at an earlier stage.

And new casework targets have been introduced: 80% of cases will be resolved within 12 months, and no case will exceed 18 months.

The changes mean residents with an ongoing case can expect to hear back more quickly, the ombudsman says.

Meanwhile, the annual membership that landlords pay the ombudsman is set to rise, with the fee for 2026-27 increasing to £9.64, up from £8.03 in 2025-26.