How to Write a Complaint Letter to Your Housing Association

Short answer: A formal complaint letter to your housing association needs five things, a clear subject line, dated chronology of what has happened, exactly what the landlord has failed to do, exactly what you want them to do, and a reasonable deadline. Sending it in writing (email or portal, not just a phone call) triggers the landlord's published Stage 1 complaints timescale.

Our free letter builder produces a clean, dated letter that does all of this in two minutes.

Why a letter, and not just a phone call

The single biggest mistake tenants make is relying on phone calls. Phone calls are not records. Even when the landlord logs them, you do not get a copy, and "you didn't tell us" is the easiest defence in the world to make.

A written complaint:

• Starts the formal clock. Most landlord complaints policies have a Stage 1 response timescale of 10 working days. The clock starts when you submit a written complaint, not when you ring up.
• Creates evidence. It is the proof needed for environmental health or any future disrepair claim.
• Forces a written reply. Which in turn becomes more evidence.
• Cannot be misheard or mis-logged. Your wording stands.

The five things every complaint letter needs

1. A clear subject line

"Formal Stage 1 complaint, [your address], damp and mould unresolved since [date]"

Not "Hi, complaint about my flat."

2. A dated chronology

A bullet list of every contact you have had about the issue, with dates and reference numbers where you have them. Example:

• 12 February 2025, first reported damp on bedroom wall by phone, reference DRP-12345
• 27 February 2025, contractor visited, took photos, no follow-up
• 14 March 2025, re-reported via portal, reference DRP-12389
• 6 April 2025, chased by email, no response

This single section does more work than any other part of the letter.

3. What the landlord has failed to do

State the specific obligation they have not met. You do not need to be a lawyer, short references are fine:

• "Failed to investigate within the timescale in your published repairs policy."
• "Breach of Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, failure to keep the structure of the dwelling in repair."
• "Breach of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, the home is not fit because of persistent mould affecting two rooms."
• "Failure to act on a prescribed hazard inside the timescale set by Awaab's Law (in force 27 October 2025)."

4. What you want them to do

Be specific. "Sort it out" is not actionable. Try:

• "Carry out a full inspection of the damp/mould and identify the underlying cause."
• "Complete all identified works inside the Awaab's Law statutory window for significant hazards (5 working days after your written summary of findings)."
• "Treat the affected wall surfaces with appropriate mould treatment."
• "Provide a written response inside the Stage 1 timescale in your published complaints policy."
• "Pay reasonable compensation for [period] during which the home has not been fit."

5. A deadline

"Please respond within [10 working days, in line with your Stage 1 complaints timescale]. If I have not received a response or a clear plan of action by [date], I will escalate to Stage 2 and then to the Housing Ombudsman."

Step-by-step template structure

``` [Your name] [Your address] [Your contact email] [Date]

[Housing association complaints team] [Their address or email]

Subject: Formal Stage 1 complaint, [your address], [issue] unresolved since [date]

Dear Complaints Team,

I am writing to make a formal Stage 1 complaint under your published complaints procedure.

The issue [1 to 3 sentence description of the problem.]

Timeline

• [date], [what happened, reference]
• [date], [what happened, reference]
• [date], [what happened, reference]

[…]

Why this is a complaint You have failed to [specific obligation]. This is a breach of [legal/policy reference].

What I want

• [Specific action 1]
• [Specific action 2]
• [Specific action 3]

Deadline Please respond within 10 working days, in line with your Stage 1 complaints timescale. If I have not received a substantive response by [date], I will escalate to Stage 2 and then to the Housing Ombudsman.

[If relevant: Please note that I have flagged vulnerability, [reason], and ask that this be reflected in the priority given.]

Yours faithfully, [Your name] ```

What to attach

• Dated photographs of the issue.
• A short video if relevant (running water, visible mould spread).
• doctor's letter if there is any health impact.
• Receipts for anything you have had to replace or pay for.
• Copies of previous reports if you have them.

Where to send it

Every housing association publishes a complaints contact. Usually:

• A dedicated complaints email address
• A complaints form on the website
• A complaints postal address

If in doubt, email the customer services address and the complaints email if both exist, with "FORMAL COMPLAINT" in the subject line. That removes the "we didn't realise it was a complaint" defence.

What happens next

1. Stage 1. Landlord must acknowledge inside their published timescale (usually 5 working days) and respond inside the Stage 1 timescale (usually 10 working days).
2. Stage 2. If you are not satisfied, request escalation in writing. Stage 2 timescale is usually 20 working days.
3. A disrepair claim. If the landlord still has not put things right, you may have a claim for compensation. Call us free on 0800 030 4669.

Use the letter builder

Our letter builder produces a clean, dated formal complaint that includes all five of the elements above, references the relevant law, and triggers the landlord's Stage 1 timescale. It takes about two minutes. Free.

Get help

If your housing association has ignored a formal complaint, or you are not sure where to start, call Support for Tenants on 0800 030 4669 for a free assessment. We are a regulated company, not a law firm, we connect tenants with solicitors who run housing disrepair cases on a no-win-no-fee basis.

Sources: Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (legislation.gov.uk); Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords, GOV.UK.

Support For Tenants is a trading name of Cyntex Group Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a Claims Management Company. FRN 1020217. Registered in England and Wales.