The Housing Ombudsman Service
The Housing Ombudsman is an organisation, approved by the Secretary of State under section 51 of and Schedule2 to the Housing Act 1996. The Act requires social landlords, as defined by section 51 (2) of the Act, to be members of an approved scheme. All local authorities and registered social housing providers are required to be members of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, several private landlords and letting agents also join voluntarily.
The Housing Ombudsman Scheme sets out the role, of the Housing Ombudsman service, what complaints it can consider and the obligations of its members. It is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The Framework Document sets out the respective responsibilities and accountability of the Housing Ombudsman, the Secretary of State and officials within the Department.
The Housing Ombudsman service investigates complaints and resolves disputes involving tenants and leaseholders of social landlords (housing associations and local authorities), as well as voluntary members (private landlords and letting agents). Investigation of these complaints is free, independent, and impartial, funded by annual landlord subscription fees. It works with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) and the Regulator of Social Housing, under a memorandum of understanding, to agree a common approach to collaborative working.
The New Homes Ombudsman Service is a separate organisation which exists to help customers resolve issues with their new homes, which the Registered Developer has been unable or unwilling to fix. The remit of the New Homes Ombudsman Service covers the whole period from the Reservation and Legal Completion of a property through to after-sales and complaints management for issues during the first two years of a new home purchase.
The primary purpose of NHOS is to provide a free and independent service to customers, which can impartially assess and adjudicate on issues that have arisen that fall within the Ombudsman’s scope. This includes complaints around the Reservation, Legal Completion and complaints management processes, or issues or defects that have arisen at or after occupation and which are not major defects.
For more information about the Housing Ombudsman Service visit https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/
For more information about the New Homes Ombudsman Service visit https://www.nhos.org.uk/
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Advice published for buyers after survey highlights concerns over new-build homes quality.
- All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment.
- BSRIA response to New Homes Ombudsman.
- Building better homes faster.
- Empty housing in London - documentary.
- Home ownership.
- Housing shortage.
- New Homes Quality Board.
- New Homes Ombudsman.
- Redfern review into the decline of homeownership.
Featured articles and news
Licensing construction in the UK
As the latest report and proposal to licence builders reaches Parliament.
Building Safety Alliance golden thread guidance
Extensive excel checklist of information with guidance document freely accessible.
Fair Payment Code and other payment initiatives
For fair and late payments, need to work together to add value.
Pre-planning delivery programmes and delay penalties
Proposed for housebuilders in government reform: Speeding Up Build Out.
High street health: converting a building for healthcare uses
The benefits of health centres acting as new anchor sites in the high street.
The Remarkable Pinwill Sisters: from ‘lady woodcarvers’ to professionals. Book review.
Skills gap and investment returns on apprenticeships
ECA welcomes new reports from JTL Training and The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership.
Committee report criticises UK retrofit schemes
CIOB responds to UK’s Energy Security and Net Zero Committee report.
Design and construction industry podcasts
Professional development, practice, the pandemic, platforms and podcasts. Have we missed anything?
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.