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ACAS — Free employment advice: 0300 123 1100 — acas.org.uk
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ICO — Data protection queries: 0303 123 1113 — ico.org.uk
Financial Ombudsman — Financial disputes: 0800 023 4567 — financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Energy Ombudsman — Energy disputes: energyombudsman.org
NHS — Healthcare guidance: nhs.uk
Veterans UK: 0808 1914 218
Jobcentre Plus (existing benefit claims): 0800 169 0310

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🏠 Housing Complaints Guide

How Do I Complain to the Housing Ombudsman in England?

Your landlord’s two-stage complaints process, the Complaint Handling Code timescales, when the Housing Ombudsman can step in, and the 12-month time limit.

✅ Last verified: 25 September 2026 📚 Sources: listed at the end, each checked on the date shown 🇬🇧 England

💬 Check your own situation

Describe what has happened. The checker answers only from this guide, plus what you tell it, and says so if something is not covered.

Check My Housing Complaint →

Who this guide is for

People in England who rent, or used to rent, from a council, a housing association or another landlord that is a member of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, and want to complain about how the landlord has dealt with their home or tenancy: for example repairs, damp and mould, reports of anti-social behaviour, or how it handled a complaint. It explains the landlord's complaints process, what to do if the landlord does not reply, and when the Housing Ombudsman can look at your complaint.

What this guide does not cover

Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland: the Housing Ombudsman is for England only. See the Wales guide, the Scotland guide or the Northern Ireland guide.
Private landlords and letting agents: the Housing Ombudsman cannot look at complaints about a private landlord unless the landlord has joined its scheme voluntarily. Ask Shelter or Citizens Advice.
A council's decisions about homelessness or about your application to its housing register: these are not for the Housing Ombudsman. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman looks at complaints about them, and some of these decisions have their own review. This guide does not cover them: ask Shelter.
Being asked to leave your home: use the eviction checker.
The repair rules themselves (what must be fixed and how quickly, including Awaab's Law): this guide does not cover them. Ask Shelter.
Problems with a neighbour: use the neighbour disputes checker. How your landlord dealt with your reports of anti-social behaviour can still be a complaint to your landlord.
An insurance claim: the Housing Ombudsman does not look at the outcome of an insurance claim.
How much compensation you might get, and taking your landlord to court: this guide does not cover them. Ask Shelter.

⚖ At a glance

Tell your landlord about the problem first. If it does not put it right, make a complaint. Every landlord in the Housing Ombudsman Scheme must have a complaints procedure with exactly 2 stages.
Stage 1: the landlord must acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and reply within 10 working days of acknowledging it.
Stage 2: it must acknowledge your request to escalate within 5 working days and reply within 20 working days of that acknowledgment.
The landlord can take longer at either stage, but it must tell you in writing why, and the date it will reply by, within those timescales.
The Housing Ombudsman can only formally investigate once your complaint has been through both stages. If your landlord is not replying on time, the Ombudsman can help you get a reply.
Take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman normally within 12 months of the end of your landlord's complaints process (its final response).
You do not have to go through an MP, councillor or tenant panel first, and there is no 8-week wait. Those rules ended on 1 October 2022. You can still contact them if you want to.
The Housing Ombudsman is free and impartial. You can ask it for advice at any stage of your complaint.

The questions that decide the answer

Where do you live? England: this guide. Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland: a different ombudsman, so see that nation's guide.
Who is your landlord? A council, a housing association or another member of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme: this guide. A private landlord: the Housing Ombudsman cannot help unless the landlord has joined voluntarily. If you are not sure, the Housing Ombudsman has a directory of member landlords.
What is the complaint about? How your landlord has dealt with your home or tenancy: complain to the landlord, then the Housing Ombudsman. A council's homelessness decision or its housing register: not the Housing Ombudsman.
Which stage are you at? Not complained yet: complain to your landlord. Stage 1 reply and still unhappy: ask for stage 2. Stage 2 reply and still unhappy: the Housing Ombudsman. No reply in time: follow up with your landlord and contact the Housing Ombudsman.

"How do I complain to my landlord?"

Use your landlord's complaints procedure. Every member landlord must publish one, with details of the Housing Ombudsman.
Say what has gone wrong and what you would like the landlord to do to put it right.
Keep a copy of your complaint and of your evidence, for example diary sheets, repair requests and the landlord's replies.
Do not stop paying your rent because of a complaint. The Housing Ombudsman warns this can affect your tenancy.
Keep talking to your landlord, even after you have contacted the Housing Ombudsman.

"My landlord hasn't replied"

Check the timescales above. If they have passed, follow up with your landlord and ask when it will reply.
You can also speak to your MP or Citizens Advice, and contact the council if you are worried about the condition or safety of your home.
The Housing Ombudsman can help if your landlord has not replied in line with its complaints policy. It can contact the landlord and tell it to reply. If that does not work, or there is evidence of complaint handling failure, it can issue an order to the landlord.
It still cannot formally investigate until your complaint has been through both stages.

"Can I go to the Housing Ombudsman now?"

Yes, once your complaint has been through both stages of your landlord's process. The Ombudsman will need a copy of the stage 2 response.
Do it normally within 12 months of your landlord's final response. The Ombudsman has refused to look at complaints brought more than 12 months after the landlord's final response.
You can complain online, by phone or by email.
The Ombudsman is impartial: it cannot make the complaint for you or take your side.

"What can the Housing Ombudsman do?"

It can work with you and your landlord to settle the complaint by agreement, or investigate how your landlord dealt with the problem and with your complaint.
If it finds service failure, maladministration or severe maladministration, it can order the landlord to put things right, for example to apologise, pay compensation or inspect your home.
Landlords must do what its orders say, in the way and by the dates it sets.
It may tell you to go to a different organisation if that organisation is better placed to deal with the problem.

Deadlines

Stage 1: acknowledged within 5 working days, reply within 10 working days of that.
Stage 2: acknowledged within 5 working days, reply within 20 working days of that.
Housing Ombudsman: normally within 12 months of your landlord's final response.
No 8-week wait before going to the Housing Ombudsman (since 1 October 2022).
Any other time limit, including for going to court: this guide does not cover it. Ask Shelter.

Money figures

This guide gives no money figures.

Where to go for help

Housing Ombudsman: 0300 111 3000, info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk, housing-ombudsman.org.uk

Shelter (England): 0808 800 4444, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm. For people who are homeless, have nowhere to stay tonight, are at risk of harm at home, or could lose their home in the next 2 months.

Citizens Advice (England): 0800 144 8848

Traps

The Housing Ombudsman is for England only. Wales: the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales. Scotland: the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. Northern Ireland: the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.
Stage 1 is 10 working days, not 20. Stage 2 is 20 working days.
There is no 8-week wait and no need to go through an MP, councillor or tenant panel. That ended on 1 October 2022.
The 12 months for the Housing Ombudsman run from the end of your landlord's complaints process, not from when the problem started.
Private landlords are not covered unless they have joined the scheme voluntarily.
Withholding rent because of a complaint can affect your tenancy.

📜 Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

Housing Ombudsman: Help if you are waiting for a final response (updated 18 March 2025): Complaint Handling Code timescales (stage 1: acknowledge within 5 working days, respond within 10 working days of acknowledgment; stage 2: acknowledge within 5, respond within 20 working days of the escalation acknowledgment; extensions in writing with reasons and a date; no less and no more than 2 stages); what to do and not do (follow up, say what would put it right, MP or Citizens Advice, council for condition or safety, keep evidence; do not withhold rent); Dispute Support team, instruction or order; no formal investigation before both stages; impartial. Checked 25 Sep 2026.
Housing Ombudsman: Help if your landlord isn't registered (private landlords only if a voluntary member; Citizens Advice and Shelter); Telling residents about our service (published procedure compliant with the Code, details of the Ombudsman; contact at any time for advice; fair, free and impartial); resident leaflets (members include housing associations and local authorities; landlord and tenant relationship with a member; stage 2 response needed; 0300 111 3000; info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk; may advise a different organisation, resolve by agreement or investigate).
Housing Ombudsman decisions quoting the Scheme (will not investigate complaints brought normally more than 12 months after the member's complaints procedure was exhausted, counted from the final response; outcome of an insurance claim not considered); 2025-26 determinations (service failure, maladministration or severe maladministration: orders to put things right - apology, compensation, inspection; landlords must comply in the manner and timescales specified).
Housing Ombudsman news 10 August and 3 October 2022: democratic filter removed from 1 October 2022 (no designated person, no eight-week wait); Insight report December 2022 (anti-social behaviour among complaint categories).
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman decisions (lgo.org.uk): complaints about housing allocations under Part 6 and homelessness; cannot investigate a council's actions as a social housing landlord (Housing Ombudsman remit); review procedures for homelessness suitability.
Shelter and Citizens Advice (England) helplines reused from the England housing guide (checked 24 September 2026).

⚠ Important disclaimer: This guide covers complaints about council and housing association landlords in England as at 25 September 2026. General legal information only, not legal advice. ukworkrights.co.uk — Not a law firm.

How Do I Complain to the Housing Ombudsman in England?

💬 Check your own situation

Who this guide is for

What this guide does not cover

⚖ At a glance

The questions that decide the answer

"How do I complain to my landlord?"

"My landlord hasn't replied"

"Can I go to the Housing Ombudsman now?"

"What can the Housing Ombudsman do?"

Deadlines

Money figures

Where to go for help

Traps

📜 Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

Comments

Found this helpful?

⚖ Important — Please Read Before Continuing

1. This is guidance — and only ever guidance

2. AI can make mistakes

3. Verified figures and guidance sources

4. What happens to what you type

5. Your responsibility

6. Useful Official Resources

7. Scope of this service

Report an Issue

Share Your Feedback

How Do I Complain to the Housing Ombudsman in England?

💬 Check your own situation

Who this guide is for

What this guide does not cover

⚖ At a glance

The questions that decide the answer

"How do I complain to my landlord?"

"My landlord hasn't replied"

"Can I go to the Housing Ombudsman now?"

"What can the Housing Ombudsman do?"

Deadlines

Money figures

Where to go for help

Traps

📜 Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

Comments

Found this helpful?

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