The Housing Ombudsman Services (HOS) has published a special report on GreenSquareAccord which identifies maladministration by the landlord and areas that require improvements. The report follows an investigation which was aimed at examining whether wider failures that have an impact on residents are as a result of the manner in which complaints are being handled. The investigation found out that, against the national average of 76% rate, the landlord had 93% maladministration rate on complaint handling. Subsequently, the Ombudsman has made recommendations on areas such as handling of complaints, repairs, policy and compensation.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published details of the review conducted by landlord, Sanctuary of nearly 4000 homes following a wider order from HOS. This order followed findings of severe maladministration by HOS. In the review, the landlord found that there were potentially 236 impacted homes where repairs and roofing works were likely not carried out in ‘an efficient and timely manner’. The review has highlighted that repairs have not been completed within timescales, that they are being closed without being completed and often off-line record systems are used, creating a data gap. Lastly, the review identified risk factors such as health and wellbeing and tenancy, and concluded that the inspections team is not adequately trained to ‘sufficiently understand wellbeing, vulnerability and empathy’.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published a follow up report into its Spotlight report on noise complaints. The HOS found that over 60% of landlords who responded to the Spotlight report have taken recommendations into account and are taking steps to effectively manage noise complaints and improve their void standard. Some steps included installation of soft door-closure mechanisms, door pads and/or anti-vibration washing machine mats and reviewing previous reports of noise and conducting noise insulation checks. The HOS has also been informed by landlords that they have, or are planning to implement, a neighbourhood management policy which was a key recommendation of the Spotlight report.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published its 'learning from severe maladministration' report for May 2024. The report covers three cases and has found that poor knowledge and information management can lead to impairment of response to repairs, domestic abuse and damp/mould. Landlords included in this report are A2Dominion, Gateshead Council, Leeds City Council and Notting Hill Genesis.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published its latest Complaint Handling Failure Order (CHFO) report covering the period from October to December 2023. It was noted that there was a significant reduction in the number of CHFOs issued in the reporting period, with 25 landlords that had an order in the last period not receiving any this time. The report also includes case examples to support landlords in improving their complaint handling and compliance with orders. HOS has also shared key lessons from the past quarter prior to the Complaint Handling Code becoming statutory on 1 April 2024.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published its ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report for June 2024, highlighting lessons from 27 landlords, specifically on responses to leaks and the resulting damp and mould. The HOS has noted that there were many cases of residents continuously chasing landlords over long periods of time without any action. Themes highlighted in the report include poor diagnosis, excessive delays and failure to consider vulnerabilities.

The Housing Ombudsman (HOS) has published an overview of its further investigations process, introduced seven months ago to identify systemic issues and improve landlord accountability through a tiered approach to scrutiny. The HOS said that investigations have highlighted recurring failings across landlords, including poor complaint handling, repairs delays, weak communication, inadequate record keeping, insufficient consideration of resident vulnerabilities and poor contractor oversight. The review found that landlords have used lessons from complaints to strengthen governance, improve policies and reporting, enhance repairs and complaints processes, and introduce new systems to improve service delivery. The update also identifies five landlords currently subject to Tier 1 investigations and outlines learning from eight recently concluded investigations, with the HOS stating that the process helps landlords identify risks earlier, implement improvements more quickly and support better outcomes for residents.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published 31 recommendations made to landlord, Peabody, following an independent review into repairs and decants. The review, which is called a wider order, was made using new powers that require landlords to implement measures to prevent future service failure by improving their policy or practice. The review found lack of planning on repairs, poor quality work, lack of team coordination as well as mixed surveying competence.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published a 'learning from severe maladministration' report focusing on anti-social behaviour (ASB) cases in social housing. The report identifies five key areas where landlords consistently fail they include action plans, risk assessments, inter-agency cooperation, hate crime response and communication/complaint handling. Highlighting distressing cases involving domestic abuse and firearms threats, the Ombudsman emphasises the complex role social landlords play beyond property management. The report names ten social housing providers and raises concerns about the effectiveness of multiagency working, resource allocation, and approaches to complex cases. The Ombudsman stresses the need for improved policies, procedures and proactive measures to address these critical failings in ASB management.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published a report titled 'learning from severe maladministration'. The report highlights cases involving eight landlords and covers key learnings around set themes as well as vital lessons from a round-up of cases. HOS aims to pinpoint failings across a range of issues to assist landlords to determine what can be done differently.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has published an updated ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ which sets out how it will work with the Regulator of Social Housing to strength the accountability of social landlords. The Memorandum lays out a new framework of communication, cooperation and exchange of information between the two bodies and explains how each will work together to deliver their respective roles. The Memorandum also reflects their new powers under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.

The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) has released a special investigation report into Southern Housing, highlighting risks around mergers with the landlord. The investigation was announced in June 2023 and began in July 2023, considering all cases between June and October 2023. HOS has highlighted how the landlord failed to take responsibility for complaints, showed delays in responses, and ‘lacked empathy for the time, trouble and distress caused to residents’. In the report, HOS has made 300 orders to ‘make things right’ for residents. Seven key themes of these orders include complaint handling, reasonable adjustments, unreasonable behaviour and contact restrictions, risk management, repairs, managing agents and third parties and finally, knowledge and information management. HOS has noted that it will work with Southern Housing until it has been assured that the recommendations have been complied with and changes have been implemented into practice.