Complaint handling performance
Read our complaint handling performance for 2025/26, including key results, service improvements, resident feedback and Housing Ombudsman compliance reports.
Each year, we publish our complaint handling performance reports. This is a requirement of the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code.
These reports matter to us because we’re committed to:
- improving how we handle complaints
- listening to residents and learning from their experience
- providing a better resident experience.
On this page you will find:
- Our complaints results for 2025/26
- How we're improving our complaint handling service
- Previous complaints reports
You can also access our latest complaints reports for 2025/26 using the links below.
2025/26 at a glance
- We received 8,089 Stage 1 complaints, compared with 6,898 the previous year. This was an increase of 17%.
- We acknowledged 86% of complaints within five working days.
- The average time taken to resolve a complaint was 24.3 working days.
- More complaints were completed within the agreed timescales than in the previous year, particularly at Stage 1.
- Satisfaction with complaint handling was 38.2%.
Complaint volumes rose notably from September 2025 onwards. This reflected increased demand across several service areas, particularly repairs, damp and mould, heating, hot water, and how we communicate with residents about our services.
Although complaint numbers increased, we resolved more complaints than in the previous year and made progress in several important areas. We:
- acknowledged more complaints on time
- handled Stage 2 complaints more quickly
- reduced the number of long-running cases
- continued to improve our performance on Housing Ombudsman casework.
While we made improvements in some areas, we know there is more to do. We need to respond to Stage 1 complaints more quickly, reduce the need for residents to escalate their complaints and improve their overall experience of the complaints process.
Performance indicator |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Trend |
| Number of complaints received | 6,898 | 8,089 | increased |
| Average overall resolution time (working days) | 18.9 | 24.3 | declined |
| Housing Ombudsman maladministration rate (proportion of negative findings by the Ombudsman) | 60.2% | 56.6% | improved |
| Findings of severe maladministration | 15 | 10 | improved |
| Complaint Handling Failure Orders (CHFOs) | 0 | 0 | maintained |
| Cases escalated from stage 1 to stage 2 | 32.4% | 35% | increased |
| Cases acknowledged within 5 working days* | 76% | 86% | improved |
| Stage 1 complaints completed within agreed service level* | 30% | 43% | improved |
| Stage 2 cases completed within agreed service level* | 50% | 77% | improved |
| Customer satisfaction with complaints handling | 42.7% | 38.2% | declined |
*Measured from April 2024.
Download the last three years of complaints performance (PDF)
How we're improving our complaint handling
We use complaints to help us understand where services are falling short and where change is needed.
During the year, we used learning from complaints, survey feedback, Housing Ombudsman findings and reviews of what caused problems to shape improvements.
This included:
- refreshing our complaints improvement plan
- adding extra resources
- providing additional training
- improving productivity
- reducing the number of open complaints by the end of the year
- strengthening how we review complaint themes and root causes.
We also continued to carry out self-assessments against Housing Ombudsman Spotlight reports, so we can compare our services against national learning and identify where further improvement is needed.
Residents helping to shape improvements
Residents are central to our approach.
This year, residents continued to help shape our complaint handling through the Complaints Special Project Group and Resident Committee. Residents reviewed:
- complaints performance
- service improvement plans, and the expected benefits for residents
- letter templates and complaints information.
Their feedback helped shape improvements to the way we handle complaints and communicate with residents. Thank you to all residents who shared feedback or raised concerns this year. Your voices help shape how we improve.
Looking ahead
On 1 April 2026, we introduced improvements to our complaints service to make it easier for residents to raise concerns and get the support they need.
The changes will help keep residents informed, reduce the need to repeat information, and ensure complaints are handled consistently and on time.
During 2026/27, we will continue to listen to feedback, learn from complaints and improve residents' experiences.