The sector needs to improve its complaint-handling culture and rebuild the trust of tenants

Early data on tenant satisfaction measures shows that satisfaction with complaints was only 37% in 2025/26, although this was slightly higher than the 35% level achieved in 2024/25.  Speaking at the Tenant and Resident Engagement Conference on 23rd September, Justin Crittall of the Housing Ombudsman said that there was more to do to increase the level of trust that residents have in their landlords by being empathetic and honest, listening, acknowledging and responding.  In terms of culture, the immediate response to a complaint should be to seek to understand, rather than to seek to defend.