The Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code sets the minimum standards social landlords must follow on complaints. Councils and housing associations both
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The Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code sets the minimum standards social landlords must follow on complaints. Councils and housing associations both sit under it. From April 2024 the code became statutory: the law requires compliance, and the Ombudsman can investigate and force it. Here is what the code means for you, and how to use it.
What is the Complaint Handling Code?
The code is a set of rules from the Housing Ombudsman telling social landlords how complaints must run. It covers:
- What counts as a complaint
- The stages complaints move through
- The time limits at each stage
- How landlords must talk to complainants
- How landlords must record complaints, and learn from them
Before April 2024, many landlords ran complaint processes falling far short. Delays. Brush-offs. Substance never engaged with. The statutory code exists to fix that.
What must landlords do under the code?
Accept complaints: a clear process must exist, with nothing standing in tenants' way. No landlord can call something "not a complaint" when it plainly is. Unhappy with a service provided, or never provided? That is a complaint.
Two-stage process: The code requires a two-stage internal process:
- Stage 1: a first answer within 10 working days. A justified extension can stretch it to 20
- Stage 2: unhappy with Stage 1? Escalate. The answer must come within 20 working days, stretching to 40 in complex cases
Clear communication: each stage must say what was decided, why, and what remedy, if any, is on offer.
Fair remedies: proper remedies must come where things went wrong. Money compensation counts, where it fits.
Self-assessment: landlords must check their own compliance yearly, and publish the results.
How does this help me?
Suppose the landlord failed on a repair, damp, mould, or broken heating, and you complained. The code hands you clear tools:
- Answers must come within the time limits. Missed limits let you escalate.
- Unhappy with Stage 1? Request Stage 2. A poor first answer need not be accepted.
- After Stage 2, the Ombudsman opens. Both internal stages done, or time limits missed, lets you complain to the Housing Ombudsman. They weigh whether the landlord followed the code.
- A code breach is itself evidence. Missed limits, or an unreasoned answer, can found a maladministration finding alone, beside the underlying complaint's substance.
What are the time limits in plain numbers?
| Stage | Normal limit | Maximum with extension |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 response | 10 working days | 20 working days |
| Stage 2 response | 20 working days | 40 working days |
Limits missed? Write and remind them of the code. Still nothing? The Ombudsman may open straight away.
How do I find out if my landlord has complied with the code?
Social landlords must publish their yearly self-assessment on their website. Read it to see where they fall short, and what they did about it.
Believe the landlord broke the code? The Housing Ombudsman can be asked to investigate their complaint handling.
When should I contact Support for Tenants?
Has the social landlord failed on disrepair, damp, mould, or broken heating, leaving you needing help with your rights? Call us on 0800 030 4669.
No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Sources
Related articles
- How to complain to the Housing Ombudsman, step by step
- Stage 1 vs Stage 2 complaint, housing
- Housing Ombudsman maladministration, what it means
- How to make a formal complaint to your landlord
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only, not a promise; every case is different.
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