This archive report concerns the Housing Ombudsman's review published on 23 September 2025, covering 2024–25. Its figures were checked against the original announcement on 16 October 2026; they are not current-year statistics.
What the review found
The Ombudsman reported a 43% increase in findings concerning poor property conditions. That measure should not be described as a 43% rise in all complaints or as a survey of every social home.
Its overall maladministration rate was 71%, despite a two-percentage-point improvement. Performance differed between landlords: the announcement identified both serious failings and organisations whose results had improved.
Improvement was uneven
The review also recorded more findings in which landlords had taken reasonable steps to resolve matters themselves. That offered some encouragement, without removing the continuing concern about residents living with poor conditions.
The Ombudsman encouraged landlords to learn from the cases rather than treating complaint handling as an isolated administrative exercise.
Reading the figures usefully
For a housing provider reviewing its own service, distinguish the volume of reports from the quality of the response. Keep the reported problem, action taken and evidence of resolution visible together.
A rising number alone does not explain the circumstances of every case. Equally, an apparently improved headline measure should not prevent investigation of unresolved repairs.
Use the dated review as evidence of the issues identified in that reporting period, and consult subsequent publications when assessing more recent performance.