Social housing complaints soar as watchdog warns of 'simmering anger'
Complaints about substandard living conditions in social housing in England are more than five times higher than five years ago, according to the housing watchdog.
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said there was an "imbalance of power" in the tenant-landlord relationship and "simmering anger at poor housing conditions risked becoming social disquiet".
He warned without change England risked the "managed decline" of social housing.
Asbestos, electrical and fire safety issues, pest control and leaks, damp and mould are among the complaints, the watchdog receives.
In its latest report, the Housing Ombudsman, which deals with disputes between residents and social housing landlords in England, said that the general condition of social housing - combined with the length of time it takes for repairs to be done - is leading to a breakdown in trust.
"You've got ageing homes and social housing, you've got rising costs around materials, for example, and you've got skills shortages," said Mr Blakeway, who spoke to the BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"You put all that together and you end up with a perfect storm and that's what's presenting in our case work. That is not sustainable."
He said tenants have "little say in the services they receive, however poor they are" and that this is leading to "growing frustration".
While he acknowledged that social landlords are putting in "record amounts" for repairs and maintenance - £9bn between 2023 and 2024 - there had been historic underfunding in social housing.
He also said that while landlords have faced "funding uncertainties", they needed to address their communication with tenants that sometimes "lacks dignity and respect".
According to the ombudsman's report, there were 6,380 complaints investigated in the year to March 2025 - up from 1,111 in the year to March 2020.
Referring to English Housing Survey estimates, it also found that an estimated 1.5 million children in England live in a non-decent home in 2023, and 19% of those live in social housing.
The Housing Ombudsman is calling for a "transformative overhaul" of the current system, including an independent review of funding practices and the establishment of a "national tenant body" to "strengthen tenant voice and landlord accountability".
That would be separate to the ombudsman, which has the power to order a landlord to apologise, carry out works or pay financial compensation.
"The human cost of poor living conditions is evident, with long-term impacts on community cohesion, educational attainment, public health, and economic productivity," said Mr Blakeway.
"Without change we effectively risk the managed decline of one of the largest provisions of social housing in Europe, especially in areas of lowest affordability.
"It also risks the simmering anger at poor housing conditions becoming social disquiet."
This is "neither fanciful nor alarmist", he said, adding that tenant activism formed its roots decades ago in the 1960s, and referencing the ongoing "shock" over the Grenfell Tower fire and the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in recent years.
The 2017 tower block blaze which killed 72 people, and the death of Awaab in 2020, caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his home, have put the spotlight on housing standards and safety.
Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa told the BBC that he was "shocked but not surprised" by the ombudsman's report.
He pointed out that for complaints to reach the ombudsman, tenants will have to formally raised the issue with the landlord.
Mr Tweneboa said social housing residents he has spoken to say they feel they are not listened to and that the culture within housing organisations "just isn't right".
"They feel they are just a rental figure at the end of each month."
"In some cases, residents are left to suffer for years," Mr Tweneboa says, adding that he knows of instances in which families with children have to "defecate in bin bags, urinate in bottles because they've been without a toilet for months".
The National Housing Federation, which represents England's housing associations, said quality and safety of homes was their "top priority", and the sector was spending record sums on repairs and maintenance.
Chief executive Kate Henderson said: "Crippling cuts to social housing over many years have exacerbated quality issues, as the ombudsman recognises, and only an increase in funding can address this over the long-term."
Overcrowding is a "significant contributor" to issues such as damp and mould, she added.
In a statement, a Ministry of Housing spokesperson said: "Everyone deserves to live in a safe, secure home and despite the situation we have inherited, we are taking decisive action to make this a reality."
"We will clamp down on damp, mould and other hazards in social homes by bringing in Awaab's Law for the social rented sector from October, while we will also introduce a competence and conduct standard for the social rented sector to ensure staff have the right skills, knowledge and experience to do their jobs effectively."
Plans to tackle IOM's key housing issues unveiled
Rat infestation is blighting area, say residents
We're treated like peasants, say tenants in fight over mouldy homes
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
'I'm over knife attack,' says Salman Rushdie
Sir Salman Rushdie says he has moved on from the knife attack which has seen his attacker jailed for attempted murder. Hadi Matar, 27, was sentenced to 25 years last month after repeatedly stabbing Sir Salman on a New York lecture stage in 2022. Sir Salman, who has a new book out later this year, told the Hay Festival that an "important moment" came for him when he and his wife Eliza "went back to the scene of the crime to show myself I could stand up where I fell down". "It will be nice to talk about fiction again because ever since the attack, really the only thing anybody's wanted to talk about is the attack, but I'm over it." Sir Salman recently told Radio 4's Today programme that he was "pleased" the man who tried to kill him had received the maximum possible prison sentence. The Midnight's Children and Satanic Verses writer was left with life-changing injuries after the incident - he is now blind in one eye, has damage to his liver and a paralysed hand caused by nerve damage to his arm. Last year, Sir Salman published a book titled Knife reflecting on the event, which he has described as "my way of fighting back". The attack came 35 years after Sir Salman's controversial novel The Satanic Verses, which had long made him the target of death threats for its portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad. In November, the author will publish a short story collection, The Eleventh Hour, his first work of fiction to be written since the stabbing. Security was tight for Sir Salman's event, with sniffer dogs present and bag checks leading to a 15-minute delay. He waved at the audience as he entered the stage and humbly gestured to them to stop applauding before joking that: "I can't see everyone - but I can hear them." He said he was feeling "excellent" although there "were bits of me that I'm annoyed about, like not having a right eye. But on the whole, I've been very fortunate and I'm in better shape that maybe I would have expected." In a wide-ranging discussion, Sir Salman also touched on US politics, declaring that "America was not in great shape". In an apparent reference to President Donald Trump, Sir Salman spoke about "the moment of hope, that image of Barack and Michelle Obama walking down the mall in DC with the crowds around them... people dancing in the streets in New York. And to go from that to the orange moment that we live in, it's, let's just say, disappointing. But he said he was still positive about the future. "I think I suffer from the optimism disease... I can't help thinking somehow it will be alright." Speaking about free speech, he said "it means tolerating people who say things you don't like". He recalled a time when a film "in which I was the villain", made around the time of the uproar over Satanic Verses, was not classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) "because it was in a hundred ways defamatory" but he asked them to allow its release. "So they gave it a certificate... and nobody went, you know why? Lousy movie. And it taught me a lesson. Let it out and trust the audience. And that's still my view. "I think we do live in a moment when people are too eager to prohibit speech they disapprove of. That's a very slippery slope" and warned young people "to think about it." When asked about the effect of AI on authors, Sir Salman said: "I don't have Chat GPT... I try very hard to pretend it doesn't exist. Someone asked it to write a couple of hundred words like me... it was terrible. And it has no sense of humour." Despite being considered one of the greatest living writers, Sir Salman joked that authors "don't even have that much money... except the two of us (him and host Erica Wagner) and those who write about child wizards... the Taylor Swift of literature," referring to JK Rowling. "Good on her." Rushdie 'pleased' with attacker's maximum sentence Salman Rushdie to release first fiction since stabbing Salman Rushdie: Losing an eye upsets me every day Succession creator Jesse Armstrong is writing about rich people again Jacqueline Wilson says she wouldn't return to Tracy Beaker as an adult
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
One of the 10 best summer tourism destinations in the U.S. is in Minnesota
One of the 10 best summer tourism destinations in the U.S. is in Minnesota originally appeared on Bring Me The News. With the summer travel season underway, Minnesota has been named home to one of the nation's best summer travel destinations. USA Today's 10Best has compiled a list of the best spots around the U.S. for summer travelers, and Minneapolis made the cut. The publication touts Minneapolis' combination of outdoor activities and cultural experiences as a reason to visit, highlighting its urban bike trails and water activities on the city lakes, as well as attractions like the Minneapolis Institute of Art and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, which now comes with frozen yogurt. We'd be remiss not to throw in the heaps of outdoor art fairs, an impressive array of theater, and iconic concert venues. It'll certainly be received as good news by businesses that rely on tourism, as there has been an 18% decline in border crossings from Canada, WCCO reports. That's led to fear that President Donald Trump's vitriolic language toward Canada — including tariff threats and the phrase "51st state" — may precipitate a decline in tourism from Canadian travelers. Here's the complete list of the best summer travel destinations around the U.S., according to USA Today's 10Best. Mackinac Island, Mich. Ocean City, N.J. Catalina Island, Calif. Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Philadelphia, Pa. Tybee Island, Ga. Block Island, R.I. Minneapolis, Minn. Cody, Wyo. Amelia Island, story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
World's oldest practicing doctor, 102, reveals ‘enemy of longevity'
Most people slow down with age, trading suits and deadlines for slippers and daytime TV. Not Dr. Howard Tucker. The Cleveland-born neurologist treated patients for nearly eight decades, earning the Guinness World Record title for oldest practicing doctor just before his 99th birthday. Now 102, Tucker may have hung up his white coat, but he hasn't hit the brakes. He spends his days lecturing future doctors at Case Western Reserve University and consulting on medical-legal cases — thanks to the law degree he picked up at the age of 67. 5 Dr. Howard Tucker treated patients from 1947 until 2022. drhowardtucker/Instagram Oh, and he's gone viral on TikTok while promoting What's Next, a documentary about his life, produced by his grandson. Tucker recently peeled back the curtain on his remarkable run — and how he's stayed sharp, driven and active well into his second century. 'Retirement, I think, is the enemy of longevity,' Tucker recently told TODAY's Al Roker. 'You have to have some purpose in life and get up in the morning and know what you're about,' he added. Tucker continued practicing medicine until age 100, only stopping when the hospital where he worked shuttered its doors in 2022. 5 Tucker will turn 103 years old in July. whatsnextmovie/Instagram If it wasn't for the closure, Tucker told PEOPLE, he'd 'absolutely' still be seeing patients. He's even 'putting out feelers' for another gig — though he admits, 'nobody wants me at my age.' 'But I'll keep trying,' he said. Tucker has no intention of stepping away from his current workload. But for anyone thinking about throwing in the towel, he's got a word of advice. 'If they retire from their work, they should at least do something as a hobby, whether it be communal work or self-hobbies,' he told TODAY. 'You need a stimulus for the brain daily.' Science backs him up. Studies show that having a sense of purpose, continually learning new things and engaging in activities that require problem-solving, creativity and attention are key for staying mentally sharp into old age. 5 Tucker is one of the oldest people to receive a law degree. drhowardtucker/Instagram The average American lifespan was 77.5 years in 2022 — and Tucker blew past that long ago. His parents lived to 84 and 96, but he said good genes are only part of the equation. 'Heredity and family history of longevity is a healthy start. However, it must be supported by moderation of nutrition, alcohol, and happiness,' Tucker wrote in his Guinness submission. For Tucker, happiness comes from work, his wife of over 70 years, their four kids, 10 grandchildren — and a lifelong love for Cleveland sports. Research shows that people with strong social connections and a positive outlook tend to outlive those who are isolated or depressed. 5 Tucker has been married to his wife for more than 70 years. drhowardtucker/Instagram Tucker has also made staying active a lifelong priority. Writing for CNBC, Tucker said he's always avoided letting himself get out of shape. He gave up skiing after a fall in his late 80s left him with a broken neck, but he continues to snowshoe and hits the treadmill for at least three miles a day in his home gym. Tucker noted that even small habits make a difference, with studies suggesting just 15 minutes of walking a day can cut the risk of early death by nearly 25%. 5 The documentary about Tucker's life, What's Next, was the People's Voice Winner at the 2025 Webby Awards. Getty Images for The Webby Awards His diet is simple. On the mindbodygreen podcast, Tucker said he starts his day with seasonal fruit and sometimes cereal, washed down with 2% milk and a cup of tea instead of coffee. He usually skips lunch to stay sharp, and dinner is typically fish and vegetables — especially broccoli — with the occasional serving of meat. He and his wife end the day with something sweet, sometimes fruit, sometimes ice cream. Trucker rarely drinks but makes an exception for his favorite cocktail. 'I love my martinis,' he told Medical Economics. He's never touched a cigarette. With his 103rd birthday around the corner in July, Tucker isn't wasting time worrying about the end. 'I never think of death,' he told TODAY. 'To be alive is to know that you're going to die because life is a fatal disease. And so I live it.'
