With a 474% increase in complaints about disrepair since 2019–20 and £3.4 million in compensation ordered in the past year, the report lays bare the extent of poor practice, missed opportunities, and eroded trust.
ASCP Chief Executive, Matt Sharp, commented: “This is not just about repairs taking too long. It reflects a system under enormous strain where outdated housing stock, rising demand, and limited resources are making it harder to deliver the safe, responsive services that residents rightly expect. Our members, who manage over two-thirds of the UK’s social housing, see the impact of this every day.”
Despite a record £9 billion spent on repairs and maintenance in 2023–24, the Ombudsman found that 72% of complaints stemmed from poor practice. Cases have been closed prematurely, hazards left unresolved, and residents left in unacceptable conditions. The findings highlight what The ASCP has consistently warned: many providers are being forced to do the minimum needed to achieve compliance, rather than what is needed to ensure safe, decent homes.
The report rightly calls for the creation of a national tenant body and a comprehensive funding review. These are essential first steps, but they must be underpinned by deeper change. This includes investment in training and systems, better data integration, and a more proactive approach to identifying and preventing hazards, especially in older housing stock that was never designed to meet today’s health and safety demands.
It has now been five years since the tragic death of Awaab Ishak, and eight since the Grenfell Tower fire. Both devastating events that exposed deep-rooted failings in social housing. Yet for too many families, the risks remain. Our members continue to encounter homes where known hazards persist, not through indifference but due to under-resourced systems, conflicting pressures, and reactive operating models. Without government recognition and serious interventions, including a commitment to address legacy stock and fund a coordinated programme of hazard eradication, the danger of further preventable tragedies remains unacceptably high.
The ASCP believes that a fundamental shift is needed in how the sector approaches risk, responsibility and resident wellbeing. It is no longer sufficient to rely on procedural compliance or to close cases without resolving underlying hazards. Housing providers must be supported to equip their staff to identify issues early, backed by responsive systems and freed from the operational and legal constraints that can prevent timely, effective action.
Gaining access to homes for safety checks remains a significant challenge. As our recent white paper highlights, this is not about blame but about building trust. Improving access means engaging residents more effectively, through clear communication, consistent follow-up and a focus on relationships, not just process.
Planning constraints are a major part of that picture. Many providers want to replace outdated, inefficient buildings with new, safer homes but find themselves blocked by local planning priorities. Meanwhile, government targets for new housing create further tension between ambition and delivery.
The ASCP warns that unless there is a rebalancing of funding priorities, towards frontline maintenance, compliance and resident engagement, safety and trust will continue to deteriorate. The introduction of Awaab’s Law later this year will bring new legal responsibilities around damp, mould and other housing hazards, and the sector must be resourced and ready to meet them.
“This report must be a turning point. It is time to stop managing decline and start rebuilding trust,” said Sharp. “That will take political will, financial realism, and a recognition that whole-home safety is not a luxury, it’s a basic right.”
