Make a Housing Complaint

Start Your Complaint

Write a short factual account: what happened, where, when, who was involved and what you want put right. Include your tenancy or account reference only when contacting the appropriate organisation directly. Ask for a written acknowledgement and keep a copy.

Different housing arrangements

Private renting: contact your landlord or managing agent first where appropriate; serious safety hazards can also be raised with the local council.

Council housing: use the council’s landlord complaint route, which may differ from complaints about council services such as homelessness decisions.

Housing association: use the association’s published complaint process.

Housing Ombudsman: how to complain ↗

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Repairs, Damp & Safety

Report repairs in writing, keep photographs and dates, and describe health or safety risks. For urgent dangers contact emergency services or the appropriate emergency repair number; do not wait for a complaint decision.

Different housing arrangements

Private renting: report to the landlord; the council may inspect serious hazards. Social housing Awaab’s Law deadlines do not automatically apply.

Council housing: report urgent repairs directly; qualifying hazards are subject to Awaab’s Law requirements, separately from the complaints process.

Housing association: report to the association and request a written action plan; consider the Housing Ombudsman for unresolved landlord-service complaints.

Shelter: repairs and unsafe conditions ↗

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Rent & Service Charges

Identify the exact rent increase, balance or service-charge entry you dispute. Request statements, notices and a written breakdown. Seek independent advice before withholding rent or service charges; making a complaint does not suspend payment obligations or legal deadlines.

Different housing arrangements

Private renting: rent increase and deposit rules depend on tenancy type; use the appropriate legal challenge process where available, not just a general complaint.

Council housing: complain about errors or service failures, but rent decisions and benefit issues may have separate appeal routes.

Housing association: request supporting information and use the landlord complaint route for service failures; some charge disputes belong before a tribunal.

Citizens Advice: housing costs and disputes ↗

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Harassment & Antisocial Behaviour

Keep a dated incident log, original messages and police references if relevant. Report threats or crime to police; call 999 if there is immediate danger. Do not publish personal allegations on a public website.

Different housing arrangements

Private renting: report landlord harassment or illegal eviction concerns to the council and seek specialist legal advice. Neighbour disputes may need a different route.

Council housing: report antisocial behaviour to the landlord and, where appropriate, police; complain about how the landlord handled your reports.

Housing association: follow its antisocial-behaviour reporting process and challenge poor handling through its complaint process.

Shelter: landlord harassment ↗

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Evidence & Timeline

List events in date order. Save original emails, letters, photographs, repair references and notes of calls. Label what you saw yourself, what someone told you and what remains disputed. Redact personal information when sharing with advisers.

Different housing arrangements

Private renting: evidence may support council enforcement, a deposit dispute, agent redress or court proceedings.

Council housing: keep landlord complaint reference numbers, stage responses and dates for a potential Housing Ombudsman complaint.

Housing association: preserve the same records, including your requested remedy and any promised actions.

Housing Ombudsman: resident resources ↗

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Escalate Your Complaint

Housing Ombudsman: help with delayed responses ↗

Housing Ombudsman complaint-handling timescales

For social landlords covered by the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the Complaint Handling Code normally requires stage 1 acknowledgement within 5 working days and a full response within 10 working days of acknowledgement. Stage 2 escalation should be acknowledged within 5 working days and answered within 20 working days of acknowledgement. Extensions must be explained with a revised response date. Without good reason, an extension should not exceed 10 working days at stage 1 or 20 working days at stage 2. The landlord must provide Ombudsman contact details when extending the response time. Private-renting and council decisions made outside the council’s landlord role may follow different routes. If your landlord is overdue, you can ask the Ombudsman for help getting a response. Since 13 January 2026 the Ombudsman has asked residents to use its online complaint form rather than email. Check its website for other ways to make contact if you cannot use the form.

Check the landlord’s final response and applicable deadlines. An unresolved complaint does not always belong with the same body: tenancy type and subject matter determine the route. Seek advice promptly if a court deadline is approaching.

Different housing arrangements

Private renting: private landlord disputes may involve the council, courts or tribunal; letting-agent complaints can involve an approved redress scheme. The Housing Ombudsman is not the usual private-landlord route.

Council housing: landlord-service complaints may go to the Housing Ombudsman after the relevant complaint steps; council administrative decisions may go to other routes.

Housing association: the Housing Ombudsman may review eligible member-landlord complaints; check its current referral rules.

Housing Ombudsman: complaint route ↗

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Letters & Templates

Use a simple structure: subject, reference, dated facts, supporting evidence, impact, remedy requested and a reasonable request for a written response. Avoid exaggeration and unsupported legal accusations. Keep a copy of what you send.

Different housing arrangements

Private renting: address the landlord or agent and use the appropriate legal notice or form where a specific procedure applies.

Council housing: clearly state whether you are complaining about the council as landlord or a different council service.

Housing association: refer to its complaint policy and request the complaint reference and stage.

Shelter: housing letter templates ↗

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Independent Help & Next Steps

Shelter and Citizens Advice can explain options. Legal aid may be available for some urgent housing matters, subject to eligibility. People’s Choice Housing provides information and signposting only: do not send us confidential case documents.

Different housing arrangements

Private renting: seek independent advice about tenancy notices, deposits, council enforcement or tribunal processes.

Council housing: ask about the Housing Ombudsman for landlord-service complaints and obtain separate advice on homelessness or allocation reviews.

Housing association: seek advice about complaint escalation and urgent legal remedies where necessary.

GOV.UK: check legal aid eligibility ↗

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