Check whether you can complain to the Housing Ombudsman about your social landlord — disrepair, damp and mould, service failures, Awaab's Law and compensation — checked against official sources.
↓ Try the Checker NowThe Housing Ombudsman Service handles complaints about social landlords including housing associations and local authority housing. You must first complete your landlord's internal complaints procedure before the Ombudsman can investigate.
The Ombudsman can order landlords to apologise, pay compensation, carry out repairs and change their policies. Determinations of severe maladministration have become more common since 2023.
Key areas covered: Housing Ombudsman, social housing complaints, maladministration, compensation, repairs, housing association. Checked against official sources.
In England, the Housing Ombudsman normally expects you to complete your landlord's own complaints procedure first, and will not normally look at a complaint brought more than 12 months after that procedure ended. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own ombudsmen and time limits: the checker below covers each.
These are the Ombudsman's most serious findings, reserved for cases involving significant, sustained landlord failures — and they carry real weight, often resulting in substantial compensation and mandated changes to how a landlord operates going forward.
This checker gives you a plain English read on your specific situation, answered only from its own guide for your part of the UK, checked against official sources. No login needed, and your answer is generated instantly based on what you tell us.
Our guidance covers many common situations, but complex or high-stakes cases need professional advice. Official information: Housing Ombudsman (England), Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman. For free help, contact Citizens Advice (England 0800 144 8848, Wales 0800 702 2020), Citizens Advice Scotland (0800 028 1456) or Advice NI (0800 915 4604), or speak to a solicitor.
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Tip: Tell us who your landlord is (housing association, council etc), what the problem is, and whether you have already complained to the landlord directly.
Include who your landlord is (council, housing association or Housing Executive), what the problem is, which stage your complaint has reached (stage 1, stage 2 or a final response), and the date of any final response.
Free · Guidance only, not legal advice
Do I have to complain to my landlord first?
Yes. Tell your landlord about the problem first and use its complaints procedure. An ombudsman normally expects the landlord to have had a chance to put things right.
Which ombudsman do I go to?
The Housing Ombudsman covers England only. For council and housing association homes, Wales has the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and Scotland has the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). In Northern Ireland, social housing complaints go to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO). All are free.
How long do I have to go to the ombudsman?
In England, normally within 12 months of your landlord's final response. In Wales, the Ombudsman normally looks at what happened, or what you found out about, in the last 12 months. In Scotland, less than 12 months after you became aware of the matter. In Northern Ireland, within 6 months of the end of the complaints procedure.
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The checker answers only from the guide for the nation you choose, plus what you tell it. If your question is not covered there, it says so instead of guessing. Each guide was checked against primary sources on 25 September 2026.
Spotted something missing, wrong or out of date? Tell us, or comment on the guide.
Further reading: our blog explains why there is no longer an 8-week wait before you can go to the Housing Ombudsman.
Directed and published by Matt Thompson, founder of UK Work Rights. Guidance checked against GOV.UK, ACAS and legislation.gov.uk. This is general rights guidance, not legal advice.
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