Complaint to the Housing Ombudsman: What to Include and How to Get It Right
You already complained to your landlord. You waited. Nothing happened, or they gave you a response that did not fix the problem. That is exactly the situation the Housing Ombudsman exists for, but most renters do not know what the Ombudsman actually needs to see in a complaint, and static templates do not tell you.
What the law says
The Housing Ombudsman Scheme is a statutory scheme that all social landlords in England must belong to. It gives the Ombudsman the power to investigate complaints about the way your landlord handled your case, and to order them to put things right. The scheme does not require you to have a lawyer or go to court.
Before the Ombudsman will consider your complaint, you normally need to show that you have completed your landlord's own internal complaints process. Under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, all registered social landlords in England must have a published complaints policy that follows the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code. That code requires landlords to acknowledge complaints within five working days and provide a full response at stage one within ten working days. If your landlord missed those timescales or gave you an unsatisfactory final response, you can escalate.
Once you reach the end of your landlord's process, or if eight weeks have passed since you first complained to them, you can refer the matter directly to the Ombudsman. You do not need to use a designated person such as an MP or councillor anymore. The Ombudsman will look at whether your landlord followed a fair process, not just whether the repair or issue itself was handled correctly. That means your paperwork matters. A vague complaint letter without dates, reference numbers and clear statements of what went wrong will slow the investigation down.
What your letter needs to include
A complaint to the Housing Ombudsman is more effective when it is clear, chronological and specific. Your submission should cover:
- Your full name, address and tenancy reference number
- The date you first reported the problem to your landlord and how you reported it (phone, email, written letter)
- The date you submitted your formal complaint and the stage you have reached in your landlord's process
- A summary of what the landlord decided at each stage, with dates and reference numbers if you have them
- A clear statement of what went wrong, what you asked the landlord to do and what they did or did not do
- The impact on you, your household or your health, stated factually
- What outcome you are seeking from the Ombudsman (repair, apology, compensation or a combination)
What happens after you send it
The Housing Ombudsman will review your submission and decide whether it falls within their remit. They will usually contact you within a few weeks to confirm they are looking into it and may ask for more documents such as email chains, photographs or a copy of your tenancy agreement. The process typically takes several months for a full investigation, but the Ombudsman has powers to make orders, recommendations and financial awards if they find maladministration.
If the Ombudsman finds in your favour, your landlord must comply with any orders made. The Ombudsman publishes findings publicly, which means repeated failures by a landlord create a record that can lead to regulatory action by the Regulator of Social Housing under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. Escalating properly and in writing is what triggers that accountability.