Social housing complaints soar and watchdog warns of ‘simmering anger’ -OxBig News Network

Complaints about substandard dwelling circumstances in social housing in England are greater than 5 occasions greater than 5 years in the past, in keeping with the housing watchdog.

Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway informed the BBC an “imbalance of energy” within the tenant-landlord relationship was resulting in “simmering anger” amongst these dwelling in social housing.

He warned with out change England risked the “managed decline” of social housing.

Asbestos, electrical and fireplace issues of safety, pest management and leaks, damp and mildew are among the many complaints, the watchdog receives .

In its newest report, the Housing Ombudsman, which offers with disputes between residents and social housing landlords in England, stated that the overall situation of social housing – mixed with the size of time it takes for repairs to be completed – is resulting in a breakdown in belief.

“You’ve obtained ageing houses and social housing, you have obtained rising prices round supplies, for instance, and you have expertise shortages,” stated Mr Blakeway, who spoke to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“You put all that collectively and you find yourself with an ideal storm and that is what’s presenting in our case work. That isn’t sustainable.”

He stated tenants have “little say within the companies they obtain, nonetheless poor they’re” and that that is resulting in “rising frustration”.

While he acknowledged that social landlords are placing in “report quantities” for repairs and upkeep – £9bn between 2023 and 2024 – there had been historic underfunding in social housing.

He additionally stated that whereas landlords have confronted “funding uncertainties”, they wanted to handle their communication with tenants that typically “lacks dignity and respect”.

According to the ombudsman’s report, there have been 6,380 complaints investigated within the 12 months to March 2025 – up from 1,111 within the 12 months to March 2020.

Referring to English Housing Survey estimates, it additionally discovered that an estimated 1.5 million kids in England stay in a non-decent residence in 2023, and 19% of these stay in social housing.

It is looking for a “transformative overhaul” of the present system, together with an impartial overview of funding practices and the institution of a “nationwide tenant physique” to “strengthen tenant voice and landlord accountability”.

That could be separate to the ombudsman, which has the facility to order a landlord to apologise, perform works or pay monetary compensation.

“The human value of poor dwelling circumstances is obvious, with long-term impacts on group cohesion, instructional attainment, public well being, and financial productiveness,” stated Mr Blakeway.

“Without change we successfully threat the managed decline of one of many largest provisions of social housing in Europe, particularly in areas of lowest affordability.

“It additionally dangers the simmering anger at poor housing circumstances turning into social disquiet.”

Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa informed the BBC that he was “shocked however not stunned” by the ombudsman’s report.

He identified that for complaints to achieve the ombudsman, tenants should formally raised the problem with the owner.

Mr Tweneboa stated social housing residents he has spoken to say they really feel they aren’t listened to and that the tradition inside housing organisations “simply is not proper”.

“They really feel they’re only a rental determine on the finish of every month.”

“In some instances, residents are left to endure for years,” Mr Tweneboa says, including that he is aware of of situations during which households with kids must “defecate in bin baggage, urinate in bottles as a result of they have been with no bathroom for months”.

In an announcement, a Ministry of Housing spokesperson stated: “Everyone deserves to stay in a protected, safe residence and regardless of the scenario we now have inherited, we’re taking decisive motion to make this a actuality.”

“We will clamp down on damp, mould and different hazards in social houses by bringing in Awaab’s Law for the social rented sector from October, whereas we may even introduce a competence and conduct customary for the social rented sector to make sure employees have the precise expertise, information and expertise to do their jobs successfully.”