Complaints: our learnings
We use complaints to learn and improve. By listening to your feedback as a direct result of the complaints we receive we have made improvements in the following areas:
What was the issue?: You weren’t always clear about what would happen next after reporting a repair, or how long it would take.
We learned: We recognised that without written confirmation or timescales, it can feel uncertain and lead to repeated chasing.
We’ve made things better by: You’ll now receive written confirmation of your repair, the plan to resolve it, and the expected timescales based on priority.
What this means for tenants: Clear information from the start, fewer updates to chase, and confidence that your repair is being managed.
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What was the issue?: You sometimes felt unsure about accessing your home safely during repairs, and you didn’t always feel supported when the work was complex or disruptive.
We learned: We learnt that clearer guidance and on-hand support can make a big difference during larger or more involved repair jobs.
We’ve made things better by: We now make sure you can access your home safely during works, and a colleague will accompany visits to answer questions and provide reassurance.
What this means for tenants: You’ll feel safer, supported, and fully informed while repairs are taking place in your home.
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What was the issue?: When repairs are closed as ‘tenant declined’, it doesn’t explain why a tenant chose not to go ahead with the repair.
We learned: We reviewed the reasons used to close repair requests, in preparation for our new repairs system, which went live in October 2025.
What we did: We updated the repair closure options to capture more detailed reasons when a repair is declined. This gives us better insight into tenants’ concerns and enables follow-up conversations where appropriate.
What this means for tenants: Tenants will have more opportunities to explain their concerns, and we can better understand and respond to the reasons behind a declined repair, helping us provide clearer communication and more appropriate support.
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What was the issue?: Water heaters at Monica Court, an extra care scheme, regularly fail, leaving tenants with low or no water pressure. Repairs are sometimes unsuccessful because the operatives attending are not qualified to repair unvented cylinders.
We learned: We worked with our contractor, Wates, to ensure these repairs are completed through the gas contract, where operatives have the appropriate qualifications to carry out the work safely and effectively.
What we did: We changed how repairs are arranged so they are carried out by suitably qualified operatives, reducing failed visits and temporary repairs and improving first-time fix rates.
What this means for tenants: Tenants living in our extra care scheme at Monica Court should experience fewer repeat repairs, quicker resolutions, and more reliable hot water and water pressure, with repairs completed correctly and safely the first time wherever possible.
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What was the issue?: Some tenants are unhappy when damp inspections can’t be fully completed, meaning concerns about damp and mould are not always assessed in one visit.
We learned: We recognised that inspections are sometimes incomplete because tenants weren’t aware they needed to move furniture before the appointment.
What we did: We updated our appointment letters to clearly explain what tenants need to do ahead of a damp inspection. Where furniture cannot be moved, we now record this in the inspection report or ask tenants to sign a disclaimer if required. This has increased the number of fully completed damp inspections.
What this means for tenants: Tenants will know in advance how to prepare for a damp inspection, helping inspections to be completed properly first time and leading to quicker outcomes and clearer next steps where damp issues are found.
What was the issue?: You wanted reassurance that your emails had been received and that someone was dealing with your query.
We learned: We understood that not knowing whether your message has reached us can be frustrating and leave you unsure about what happens next.
We’ve made things better by: We now make sure all emails receive an automatic response, letting you know we’ve got your message and will get back to you quickly.
What this means for tenants: You’ll have peace of mind that your email has been received and that we’re already working on a response.
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What was the issue?: Some tenants raise a high number of complaints, which can involve several different teams and take a long time to resolve.
We learned: We now identify tenancies with a higher volume of complaints each month and share this information with relevant service teams. A cross-team meeting is held to look at the tenancy as a whole, understand what is driving the concerns, and agree any actions that can be taken together.
What we did:
– Teams now work together to get to the root cause of issues.
– Related problems are addressed collectively rather than in isolation.
– Clear ownership is agreed so actions are followed through.
– Issues are resolved in a more timely and coordinated way.
What this means for tenants: Tenants should see quicker, more joined-up responses and won’t need to repeatedly explain the same issues to different teams, as services work together to resolve concerns more effectively.
What was the issue?: Some complaints are escalated because the underlying reasons for dissatisfaction are not always fully understood at an earlier stage
We learned: We introduced a new action code in our complaints system to record the reason why a complaint is escalated.
What we did: We improved the way we capture and analyse complaint data, allowing us to better understand escalation trends and identify specific areas where tenants are dissatisfied.
What this means for tenants: By understanding why complaints are escalated, we have improved how concerns are handled earlier, resolving issues more effectively at the first stage, and reduce the need for tenants to escalate their complaints to get the outcome they are seeking.
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What was the issue?: You want a smoother experience with fewer disruptions when using our services.
We learned: We understood that when things run more reliably, it makes a big difference to how satisfied you feel.
We’ve made things better by: We’ve made improvements that will help reduce disruptions and create a more consistent, reliable service.
What this means for tenants: A better overall experience, increased satisfaction, and fewer interruptions to your day-to-day life.
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What was the issue?: The Housing Ombudsman identified several areas where our handling of a case in relation to lead-based paint fell short of expected standards, particularly in relation to health and safety, decision-making and complaint handling. These issues included:
- We did not act quickly enough when concerns were raised
- We did not clearly explain or evidence our decisions
- We did not treat the issue with the urgency expected
- Our complaint responses did not always meet the standards set out in the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code
- Communication could have been clearer and more reassuring, particularly where anxiety and health concerns were involved.
We learned: We recognised the seriousness of the Housing Ombudsman’s findings and focussed on the following
- Working across the organisation to learn from the case – with cross team learning workshops and agreed action plans
- The need for greater urgency, especially where there is potential risk to health and increased tenant anxiety
- How we assess and evidence hazards, including lead-based paint, and how consistently this is understood and applied across services.
- Decision-making and communication, recognising that tenants need clear, timely explanations that are reassuring and well-supported by evidence.
- The role of complaint handling, and how weaknesses in this area can escalate
- Learning from tenant insight and lived experience, particularly feedback from the Tenant Complaints Panel
What we did: As a result of what we learned, we have already delivered and continue to deliver a range of improvements:
- Introduced a clear process for managing reports of lead-based paint, setting out: – What ForHousing colleagues must do when a concern is raised – Actions ForHousing will take to ensure cases are managed promptly and safely
- Rolled out updated guidance on lead-based paint to all Customer Connect Hub colleagues in April 2026
- Made lead-based paint awareness training mandatory for all surveyors.
- Updated our Asset Management Policy and Procedures to clearly identify lead-based paint ingestion as a recognised HHSRS hazard
- Introduced the use of independent specialist contractors for testing and remediation
- Strengthened requirements for contractor equipment and method statements
- Reinforced complaint handling expectations so responses are fully evidenced, timely and compliant with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code
- Reported the Ombudsman’s determination through our governance structures, including: – Member Responsible for Complaints (October 2025) – Customer Committee (November 2025) – Board (December 2025)
What this means for tenants:
These changes mean that:
- Safety concerns will be acted on more quickly, especially where there is potential risk to health
- Decisions will be clearly evidenced and explained, so tenants better understand what action we are taking and why
- Colleagues will be better trained and better informed, particularly around lead-based paint and other hazards
- Complaints will be handled more consistently, transparently and fairly
- Tenant feedback and challenge will continue to play a key role in shaping our services.
To support openness and shared learning, you can read the Housing Ombudsman’s “Learning from Severe Maladministration” report (March 2026)
We will continue to monitor progress through governance and tenant oversight and will provide a final update to the Tenant Complaints and Feedback Panel, the Member Responsible for Complaints and the Customer Committee once all actions are complete.
This case is now a benchmark for how we improve our handling of safety-related concerns and how we ensure learning leads to real change and improvements.
