Quarterly Housing Ombudsman complaint handling failure orders fall for first time
The Housing Ombudsman has reported the first fall in the number of complaint handling failure orders issued in a quarter since it started issuing the data in January of last year.
The Ombudsman issued 19 complaints handling failure orders between October and December 2021, a fall from the previous quarter's 27.
The orders highlight issues with progressing complaints and meeting the Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code which landlords are expected to follow.
Landlords complied with the orders in all 19 of the cases between October and December. The Ombudsman issued orders to ten councils and nine housing associations over the period.
The purpose of complaint handling failure orders is to ensure that a landlord's complaint handling process is accessible, consistent and enables the timely progression of complaints for residents, according to the Ombudsman.
Between July and September, 27 orders were issued with three cases of non-compliance.
From April to June, 23 were issued with three cases of non-compliance. Ten were issued between January and March, and in two cases, landlords did not comply.
Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said the orders help landlords identify "where their complaints procedure may need to be strengthened, as well as progressing an individual resident's complaint".
He added: "It is positive to see that the number of complaint handling failure orders has reduced over this quarter, suggesting that our Complaint Handling Code is starting to embed within landlords. Compliance with our orders has also improved, another positive sign.
"However, we are facing challenges around evidence gathering to support formal investigations with more chasing needed to ensure information is provided by landlords before we get to the point of issuing complaint handling failure orders. This has increased over the year from 50% of cases requiring a prompt to 84% in the most recent quarter."
The report also highlights the Ombudsman review of the Complaint Handling Code and complaint handling failure orders, a year on from being introduced.
The review, based on feedback from landlords and residents and the Ombudsman's own analysis, will be published as part of a new annual review of complaints due in March 2022. It will set out some improvements being made to the Code and complaint handling failure orders while retaining the same core principles.
Adam Carey
