Decision

To amend the Council’s approved Corporate and Housing Complaints Policy to accommodate the recommendations and Observations provided by the Housing Ombudsman Service on that Policy.  The recommendations and observations represent the Housing Ombudsman Service’s interpretation of its Code of Complaint Handling and the extent to which it wished to ensure that there were no ambiguities in the Council’s Policy in specific provisions.

Reasons for the decision

The Corporate and Housing Complaints Policy was adopted by Cabinet on 25 July 2025, effective from 01 September 2025.  The Policy was drafted to comply with the two separate Ombudsman Codes.  The links to the Codes are here:

https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/landlords-info/complaint-handling-code/

https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/information-for-organisations-we-investigate/complaint-handling-code

The approved Council Policy is available here:

https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/content/complaints

It was adopted following requests for comments submitted to both Ombudsman Services.

On 24 November 2025, this Council provided the annual Complaint Handling Code Self-Assessment to the Housing Ombudsman Service, as required.

Subsequently the Housing Ombudsman Service reviewed the Council’s complaint policy, in its capacity as landlord (namely the Corporate and Housing Complaints Policy).  The review focussed on ensuring landlords met the requirements of the Code based on what residents can reasonably expect to be included in a policy document.

The review identified 5 recommendations (attached).  These recommendations have been implemented by the Council and reflected within the revised Corporate and Housing Complaints Policy.  The revised policy was sent to the Housing Ombudsman Service for comment and the Housing Ombudsman Service confirmed acceptance of its recommendations in the revised Policy wording.  One recommendation was queried with the Service and they responded with clarification and a suitable adjustment was made to the identified section to differentiate service requests from complaints.   The Housing Ombudsman Service determined that the recommendations should be in place and published by 30 September 2026.

Two further observations were submitted and one, around inclusion of a specific email address for the Housing Ombudsman Service, has been implemented and another (around accessibility of the text) is programmed for review.

Alternative options considered

Not to revise the Corporate and Housing Complaints Policy incorporating the Housing Ombudsman Service recommendations.  This was rejected as the Council considers itself to be compliant with the Codes of Complaint Handling and the recommendations from the Housing Ombudsman Service seek to avoid any perceived ambiguities in the text of its Policy.