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Javid consults on single Housing Ombudsman to replace ‘broken’ system
A new Housing Ombudsman for private and social sector housing could be launched under government proposals out for consultation.
Housing secretary Sajid Javid has previously expressed his frustration with the fragmented system, which currently includes four different complaints bodies.
The proposals will be subject to an eight-week consultation, with the government seeking views from tenants, landlords, homeowners and existing ombudsmen. It published a consultation outlining the plans today.
Mr Javid said: “For too long, tenants and homeowners have navigated multiple complaints procedures to resolve disputes about everyday household repairs and maintenance.
“Fixing this housing crisis is about more than just building homes, it’s ensuring people have the answers available when something goes wrong.”
A government press release said the proposals would “shake up the broken housing complaints system”.
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Mr Javid committed to this consultation in November last year, aiming to simplify a system that includes four complaints organisations. These are the Housing Ombudsman; the Property Ombudsman; Ombudsman Services: Property; and the Property Redress Scheme.
Social landlords are required to be members of the Housing Ombudsman, but it has a high threshold to intervene in disputes. Private landlords, meanwhile, are not required to be a member of any complaints body.
The consultation will consider making it compulsory for home builders to join the ombudsman scheme, as well as naming and shaming poor practice in an effort to stamp out abuses of the system.
The issue of tenant representation has been a prominent one since the Grenfell Tower fire last June. Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, has called on the government to appoint an independent commissioner to represent the views of social housing residents.
