Secretary of State demands improvement at councils and housing associations after Ombudsman finds severe maladministration

The Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities has written to seven councils and seven housing associations that have received severe maladministration judgments from the Housing Ombudsman or received regulatory notices for breaches of the consumer standards.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the government aims to “name and shame” those who are not delivering the quality of service that residents should expect to receive.

Ealing Council, Westminster City Council, Tandridge Council, Nottingham Council, Milton Keynes Council and Lambeth Council received letters from Michael Gove following findings of severe maladministration by the Housing Ombudsman and their “failures to deliver the standard of service expected”.

Camden Council received a letter following the issuing of a regulatory notice from the Regulator of Social Housing for its failure to meet the Home Standard.

The Regulator’s investigation found the council to be non-compliant due to fire safety failures across thousands of its homes.

The Secretary of State wrote: “I have been clear that social housing must be safe and decent, and provide those living there with security and dignity. […] It is clear this has not always been the case for your tenants.”

He requested the council to take “urgent action” to address its failings, adding: “I expect overdue fire remedial actions to be completed as soon as possible, with necessary improvements to your processes to be made swiftly to ensure these failures are not repeated again”.

Seven housing associations were also contacted by the Secretary of State following findings of severe maladministration by the Ombudsman - Hyde Housing, Inquilab Housing Association, Catalyst Housing Association, Sovereign Housing Association, PA Housing, Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association and Metropolitan Thames Valley Homes.

The findings included poor complaint handling, failure to demonstrate compliance with the Equality Act 2010, poor record keeping and failure to carry out repairs.

Gove informed each of the housing associations that he will take “a personal interest in how your organisation continues to deliver its responsibilities to its residents and expect to see an improvement”.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has been approached for comment.

Lottie Winson