Housing Ombudsman reveals 323% increase in severe maladministration findings

The number of severe maladministration findings has more than quadrupled from 31 to 131 in the last year, the Housing Ombudsman’s annual complaints review has revealed.

Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) data revealed that 112 out of 131 (85.5%) of severe maladministration findings were for landlords with more than 10,000 homes.

When the Ombudsman identifies a maladministration, this relates to a service failure, including long delays in completing repairs, inadequate complaint handling and poor property conditions. 

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Depending upon the seriousness of the failure and the impact on the resident, it is categorised as a severe maladministration. 

The Ombudsman made an additional 2,430 maladministration findings, an increase of 40% compared to the previous year. There was also a 20% drop in no maladministration findings.

The overall maladministration rate- the proportion of cases where maladministration is found - in 2022/23 rose from 43% to 55%.

The main complaint type was related to property condition, with the HOS issuing nearly 2,000 findings this year.

The property condition maladministration rate increased from 39% to 54% in the last year.

Complaints handling was the second-largest category of complaint and had a 76% maladministration rate.

London is the area with the highest number of maladministration determinations, even when factoring in the quantity of housing stock in the region.

Out of the 131 severe maladministration findings the HOS made last year, 77 (59%) of these were for London landlords.

Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman said that the annual complaints review provides a “unique and sobering overview” into social housing complaints in the country.

Blakeway added that while the figures reflect poor practice, they are also indicative of the increased pressures facing social landlords.

Landlords with high maladministration rates 2022/23