YOUR HOME. YOUR RIGHTS. YOUR VOICE.
A practical directory for people in England. These organisations have different roles: landlords provide services, councils exercise public duties, charities offer advice, and regulators or ombudsmen handle specific concerns. People’s Choice Housing is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organisations listed.
Choose the right organisation
Housing Associations
Many housing associations are registered providers of social housing; check the official register for your landlord’s status. Find your own landlord using tenancy paperwork, rent statements or its official website. Ask for repairs, complaints, safeguarding and accessibility contact options. Do not assume every association uses the same procedure.
Before contacting anyone: For landlord-service complaints, use the association’s complaints procedure; the Housing Ombudsman may consider eligible unresolved complaints.
Regulator of Social Housing — registered providers ↗
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Private Landlords & Letting Agents
Check your tenancy agreement to identify the landlord and any managing agent. Report repairs in writing. If a property has serious hazards, the local council may have enforcement powers. Letting-agent complaints may use a government-approved redress scheme; not every private landlord complaint goes through one.
Before contacting anyone: Private renters should check current England tenancy rules and obtain advice before acting on eviction or rent notices.
Shelter England — private renting advice ↗
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Local Councils
Your council may help with homelessness applications, housing-register information, environmental health, benefits administration and safeguarding. The housing department and environmental health team may have different contacts. Find your council by postcode rather than guessing which authority covers your address.
Before contacting anyone: For council-landlord complaints, distinguish its role as your landlord from its separate public functions.
GOV.UK — find your local council ↗
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Tenant Unions & Resident Groups
Tenant unions and resident associations may help members organise, understand common problems and raise issues collectively. They are independent groups, not regulators or substitutes for qualified legal advice. Check membership fees, coverage, services and privacy policies before joining.
Before contacting anyone: If you live in social housing, ask your landlord about resident engagement arrangements.
ACORN — community union ↗
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Independent Housing Advice
Shelter England: housing advice ↗
What each advice service does
Shelter England and Citizens Advice offer independent housing guidance. GOV.UK publishes government information and official routes to public services. Check the remit and availability of each service before submitting a case.
Some problems require case-specific advice, particularly when a court deadline is approaching. Check whether a service covers England and whether it offers appointments in your area.
Before contacting anyone: Do not send personal documents to People’s Choice Housing; use the adviser’s official secure contact method.
Citizens Advice — housing ↗
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Housing Ombudsman & Regulators
Regulator of Social Housing: official information ↗
Choosing an ombudsman or regulator
The Housing Ombudsman considers eligible complaints about landlords in its scheme. The Regulator of Social Housing has a different regulatory role and does not replace the landlord complaints process. The Ombudsman’s online complaint form is its main route for new complaints. Check its website for other ways to make contact if you cannot use the form.
Private renters may have different routes, including council enforcement and letting-agent redress. A report to a regulator does not replace an individual complaint or protect a separate legal deadline.
Before contacting anyone: Use the correct body for your tenancy and problem; a regulator report does not automatically resolve an individual complaint.
Housing Ombudsman — residents ↗
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Legal Aid & Specialist Support
Acas: whistleblowing at work ↗
Protect: specialist whistleblowing advice ↗
Employment whistleblowing help
ACAS explains employment rights and whistleblowing protections. Protect offers specialist, independent whistleblowing advice. These are different from routes for residents’ housing complaints.
Legal aid may be available for some housing matters, subject to the case and eligibility rules. Seek specialist support promptly for possession proceedings, homelessness, discrimination or domestic abuse. Do not rely on an online directory alone if a hearing or notice deadline is close.
Before contacting anyone: Use an official search tool to locate a legal-aid adviser; confirm the service can take your case.
GOV.UK — check legal aid ↗
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Emergency & Urgent Help
Call 999 for immediate danger. If you are homeless or at risk of losing your home, contact your council’s homelessness service as soon as possible. For urgent housing hazards, contact the landlord’s emergency repair number. For abuse or safeguarding concerns, use the appropriate council or emergency service.
Before contacting anyone: Do not wait for a complaint, ombudsman or regulator process where urgent safety action is needed.
Shelter England — homelessness advice ↗
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