To support changes to the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, the Regulator of Social Housing and the Housing Ombudsman have agreed a revised Memorandum of Understanding
The basis of referrals of cases from the Ombudsman to the Regulator of Social Housing has been broadened to include repeated complaint-handling failure or potential systemic failure.
Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, commented on the announcement: “These fundamental changes to our powers will help to improve the accessibility, speed and scope of redress for the benefit of residents.
“Broadening the scope of issues we can refer to the regulator will make this even more effective and builds on our strong working relationship.”
New powers in the revised Housing Ombudsman Scheme that took effect from 1 September will help ‘improve awareness, accessibility and speed of complaint resolution.’
It also enables the Ombudsman to be more proactive on systemic issues and broadens the basis on which Ombudsman can refer cases to the Regulator of Social Housing.
This includes receiving notification from the Ombudsman on findings of severe maladministration, where an investigation raises a potential breach of a regulatory standard, details of non-compliance with orders and on complaint-handling failures.
The updated Scheme includes:
- A new Complaint Handling Code, published in July, setting out clear expectations for landlords on handling housing complaints, including the need for self-assessments against the Code by 31 December 2020.
- A new power to issue complaint-handling failure orders which could relate to the handling of an individual case or the landlord’s overall complaint-handling policy. These orders will be formally issued from 1 January 2021
- The ability to conduct systemic or thematic investigations beyond an individual complaint or landlord. A framework for these investigations will be published later this year.
The Regulator has welcomed strengthening its relationship with the Housing Ombudsman aimed to further protect social housing tenants.
Fiona MacGregor, Chief Executive, Regulator of Social Housing, added: “We value the good relationship we have with the Housing Ombudsman and welcome this opportunity to further strengthen it and to work together to further protect social housing tenants.”
