What This Year’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures Really Tell Us
Tuesday 11th of November 2025
What This Year’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures Really Tell Us
By Tpas England
This year’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) have given us plenty to think about – and, if we’re honest, a fair bit to worry about too.
The numbers show what many residents already know: trust between tenants and landlords is still fragile. While some landlords are making genuine progress, too many tenants still feel they’re not being listened to or treated as partners in shaping their homes and communities.
At Tpas, we’ve always said the same thing – when landlords engage well, satisfaction rises. It’s not rocket science. Good engagement equals good performance. When tenants’ voices are respected, services improve, relationships strengthen, and problems get solved faster.
Complaint Handling: A Culture Issue, Not a Process Problem
One of the most striking figures this year is that only 36% of tenants are satisfied with complaint handling. That’s not just disappointing – it’s telling.
The issue isn’t the complaint procedures themselves; most landlords have policies that look fine on paper. The problem is culture. Too often, complaints are treated as something to get through rather than an opportunity to learn and improve.
As we often say at Tpas, tenants don’t want to be handled – they want to be heard. The best landlords are shifting from a defensive mindset to a learning one. They’re inviting tenants to sit on complaints panels, reviewing cases openly, and showing that feedback leads to action.
It’s not just about resolving an issue. It’s about rebuilding trust.
Are TSMs Working for Tenants?
Two years in, the TSMs have real potential. Tenants have wanted clear, comparable performance data for years – something that shows how their landlord stacks up and where change is needed.
And while engaged tenants are already using this data to hold their landlords to account, for most people, TSMs are still too distant and technical. A spreadsheet doesn’t empower anyone on its own.
What really makes a difference is when landlords and tenants talk about the data together – through forums, community events, or joint improvement sessions. Data on its own doesn’t drive accountability. Dialogue does.
If 90% Don’t Know About TSMs, Something’s Missing
A recent survey found that 90% of tenants don’t know what TSMs are. That figure speaks volumes.
We can’t expect TSMs to strengthen accountability if most residents haven’t heard of them. There needs to be a stronger national and local effort to bring these measures to life – in plain language, through accessible channels, and with clear links to action.
That means co-designing easy-to-understand summaries, visual reports, and neighbourhood-level updates. And it means supporting tenant groups to use the data as part of their scrutiny and engagement work.
Because if TSMs stay buried on websites, they won’t build trust – they’ll just gather dust.
The Bottom Line
The TSMs offer an important mirror for the sector. The reflection isn’t always flattering, but it’s valuable.
They remind us that real improvement doesn’t come from metrics alone – it comes from listening, learning, and working with tenants as equal partners.
At Tpas, we’ll keep championing the organisations and residents who are turning data into dialogue, and dialogue into action. Because that’s how trust is built – one conversation at a time