Tpas Event - Housing Ombudsman Annual Complaints Review 2024–25: What the Latest Findings Tell Us
Tuesday 25th of November 2025
The Housing Ombudsman’s Annual Complaints Review (ACR) for 2024–25 provides a detailed picture of the challenges, improvements, and shifting trends across the sector. During the recent presentation, Polly from the Housing Ombudsman shared headline findings that offer valuable insight for landlords, tenants and tenant engagement professionals.
Rising Awareness and Continued High Uphold Rates
This year, the Ombudsman determined over 7,000 cases, resulting in 14,000 individual findings. Of these, 71% were upheld, a figure consistent with previous years. While the overall proportion of upheld complaints has not changed significantly, Polly noted a growing awareness of residents’ rights, driven by new legislation and sector reforms. This rising awareness is likely contributing to residents feeling more confident in raising concerns when repairs or services fall short.
There is some positive movement, the report shows a 7% decrease in maladministration rates, suggesting that improvements in processes and oversight are beginning to make an impact.
Repairs Still Dominating Complaints
Repairs continue to be the most prominent issue, particularly cases involving leaks, damp, and mould. These types of complaints accounted for 40% of all compensation ordered. Although there has been a slight decrease in severe maladministration findings, the volume and complexity of repair-related complaints remain a major challenge for landlords.
Local Authority Performance
Local authorities featured heavily in the latest review, making up 30% of all complaints investigated by the Ombudsman. Complaint handling continues to be a significant area of focus, with an 87% uphold rate for complaint-handling failures.
Better Consumer Gradings = Better Outcomes
One of the standout insights from this year’s review is the connection between strong consumer standards and complaint outcomes. Landlords with higher consumer gradings experienced fewer upheld complaints and lower compensation orders overall. This reinforces the importance of effective governance, transparency, and proactive service delivery.
What’s Changing?
Polly highlighted several key upcoming regulatory changes set to influence complaint handling and landlord responsibilities:
- Awaab’s Law, which will introduce stronger requirements around tackling damp and mould with strict response times.
- Reforms to the Decent Homes Standard, designed to raise expectations on property condition and safety.
- A new approach to special investigations by the Ombudsman Service, aimed at addressing systemic issues across organisations.
Looking Ahead
The Annual Complaints Review provides a clear reminder of the areas where progress is being made, and where challenges remain. As residents become more informed about their rights and standards continue to rise, landlords will need to remain proactive, responsive, and transparent in how they manage complaints and deliver services.
Read the full Housing Ombudsman report
To view the full report, click here
To view the recording of this session, click here