Housing complaints annual report 2024/2025

Appendix 1 Analysis of complaint themes and trends

Customers complained that issues with damp and mould continued to return, and action taken by the council didn't resolve the problem.
Delays with other repairs, such as roof and window repairs, caused problems with damp and mould in the property.
The amount of time waited between having an inspection/survey and repairs being carried out. One customer stated they have had damp and mould since 2018 and are still awaiting dates for the repairs.
Property conditions worsening due to the amount of time waited for the repair to be carried out.

Customers reporting long waits for repairs to be carried out. One customer advised they have waited three years for a repair to their brickwork. They report operatives have visited three times but are yet to carry out any repair. Multiple reports from customers suggesting they have waited a number of years for a repair.
Customers report they have waited a long time for repairs, following an initial inspection or survey. In a number of these cases, due to the time passed since the initial inspection, we need to complete a further inspection, delaying the work.
The amount of time customers had to wait for a date for their repair, resulting in the customer having to chase the repair up multiple times and still not receiving a date.
The time taken to respond to bathroom and kitchen repairs is a recurring theme, with some customers explaining they have waited a number of years for repairs to these rooms specifically.

Customers regularly reported we didn't turn up for repair appointments. In these cases, the customer states they didn't receive any notification that an appointment had been changed or cancelled and waited in all day. Customers reported taking time off work and this was a cause of frustration.
Customers complained about poor communication following the report of the repair. Multiple complaints outlined that they didn't hear anything for months, resulting in them having to contact us for an update.
Customers are saying they have been promised an update on their repair after speaking with us but hearing nothing.
A number of customers complained that they waited in for their appointment and nobody knocked at the door. On checking their letterbox, they had received a card for a missed appointment, these customers allege that no attempt was made to gain access to the property. This has been a recurring comment from customers in flats and multi-storey blocks.

Customers report having pest control issues, particularly relating to rats, which required multiple visits to resolve. In these cases, the rats were able to continue to gain access as the access holes weren't blocked up following the first successful pest control action.

Customers report being unhappy with how we have handled their antisocial behaviour case. They report a feeling of a lack of action and support from the council during the case.
A customer complained about the handling of their eviction from a property, specifically about the disposal of their property and a lack of proactive action to obtain their contact information for the council to properly support them.

Customers complain about the length of time taken to be rehoused.
Complaints relate to medical priority awards and the length of time taken to have these added on to a housing application.
Customers also mention the lack of impact the medical priority has on the amount of time it takes to be rehoused.

A complaint was made by a customer in 2024. This wasn't registered or responded to formally, leading to contact from Citizens Advice.