Complain formally to a housing association or council and the terms "Stage 1" and "Stage 2" will come up. Knowing what they mean, and your options at each
On this page
- The short answer
- The Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code
- Stage 1: the first formal complaint
- Stage 2: escalation
- What happens after Stage 2?
- What if the landlord does not respond at all?
- The eight-week rule
- Complaint vs legal claim
- What to do now
- When should I contact Support for Tenants?
- Sources
- Related articles
Complain formally to a housing association or council and the terms "Stage 1" and "Stage 2" will come up. Knowing what they mean, and your options at each stage, helps you use the process rather than getting stuck in it.
The short answer
Stage 1 is your first formal complaint. Stage 2 is an escalated review, usually by a different and more senior person. Where Stage 2 solves nothing, the Housing Ombudsman comes next. The two-stage shape is required by the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code.
The Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code
Since 2024 the Complaint Handling Code has bound all social landlords in England. It sets minimum standards for handling complaints, the timescales at each stage included.
The Code requires a two-stage process. Skipping Stage 1 for Stage 2, or for the Ombudsman, is not allowed.
Stage 1: the first formal complaint
At Stage 1 the landlord considers your complaint. Under the Code they must:
- Acknowledge it within five working days
- Give a full written answer within 10 working days
The answer must deal with each point raised. It must say what the landlord will do, and set out your right to escalate to Stage 2.
A landlord who cannot answer within 10 working days must say why, and give a new date. Extending silently is not allowed.
Stage 2: escalation
Unhappy with Stage 1? Repairs not done, a weak answer, an offer that solved nothing? Escalate to Stage 2.
At Stage 2, someone with no part in the Stage 1 decision must review the complaint. The answer must:
- Come within 20 working days
- Deal with the points raised at Stage 1
- Explain what the landlord decided and why
- Set out your right to the Housing Ombudsman if you stay unhappy
As at Stage 1, any extension must reach you.
What happens after Stage 2?
After Stage 2, the Housing Ombudsman is open to you. Nothing further from the landlord needs waiting for.
The Ombudsman weighs whether the landlord followed its own policies and the Code, and whether its decisions ran fair and reasonable. It can order compensation, repairs, and better complaint handling.
What if the landlord does not respond at all?
A landlord missing the Stage 1 window can be reported to the Housing Ombudsman. Waiting forever for a Stage 1 answer is not required.
The eight-week rule
The Ombudsman also takes complaints over eight weeks old with no agreed fix. Eight weeks or more since your Stage 1 complaint, with the matter still open, lets you go to the Ombudsman without finishing the full two-stage process.
Complaint vs legal claim
The complaints process blocks no disrepair claim. In fact the written record it builds, complaints, answers, timelines, becomes valuable evidence in one.
Many tenants find a legal claim, or the prospect of one, moves things far faster than complaints alone.
What to do now
Write your Stage 1 complaint today. Keep it factual: the problem, when you reported it, what has and has not happened since. Email it to the landlord's complaints address. Set a reminder for 10 working days.
When should I contact Support for Tenants?
Stuck in a complaints process going nowhere, or wondering whether a legal claim runs better? 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
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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