Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code
Social housing organisations are responsible for adhering to the statutory Complaint Handling Code of the Housing Ombudsman. To facilitate this, landlords are required to demonstrate their compliance through a dedicated electronic form annually. This method ensures consistent information collection, enabling the Ombudsman to effectively monitor adherence to the Code, maintain up-to-date records, and gather insights into complaint handling activities to further enhance fairness within the sector.
The submission process has been streamlined to improve efficiency. Landlords are no longer required to submit copies of key documents but are instead asked to provide links to relevant publications. This approach not only simplifies the submission but also aligns with the Regulator of Social Housing’s requirements for Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) outcomes. Specifically, landlords managing 1,000 homes or more must submit their forms by 30 June each year. Those with fewer than 1,000 properties should submit their self-assessments either at the time of publishing their TSMs or within 12 weeks following their year-end, whichever is sooner.
To ensure thorough preparation and compliance, landlords are encouraged to visit the Housing Ombudsman’s Guidance website or contact compliance@housing-ombudsman.org.uk.
Key links:
