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Where Landlords Stand A Where They Stand project

What social landlords in England are like, from what the regulator and the Housing Ombudsman publish.

Independent. Not affiliated with the Regulator of Social Housing, the Housing Ombudsman Service or any landlord.

Your rights

Here is what landlords must do, and where to go if something goes wrong. It covers council landlords and housing associations in England.

Thinking of turning down an offer? Check your council's rules first. Saying no to an offer can affect your place on the housing register.

If you are offered a home

Your council must tell you about decisions on your housing application. You can ask for a review of those decisions. How to ask, and how long you have, is set out in your council's allocation scheme.

If the council is helping you because you are homeless, you can ask for a review of whether an offer is suitable. You can do this whether or not you accept the offer. You must ask within 21 days. The council must decide within 8 weeks.

If you are homeless and turn down an offer the council says is suitable, the council may stop helping you. Before a final offer, the council must tell you this and tell you about your right to a review.

Sources: Housing Act 1996, section 166A · Housing Act 1996, section 202 · Housing Act 1996, section 193 · Homelessness Code of Guidance, chapter 19. Checked 3 November 2026; to be checked again by 3 May 2027.

Dangerous damp, mould and other hazards (Awaab's Law)

Since 27 October 2025, council landlords and housing associations must deal with some dangers in your home in set times. This is the law. It covers emergency hazards, and damp and mould that could seriously harm you.

The government plans to add more from 30 November 2026: being too cold or too hot, falls, electrical hazards, fire and explosions, a building that could collapse, and hygiene, such as pests, drains, and places to wash and cook. Parliament has to agree to these new rules first. When we last checked, they were still a draft.

Fire inside your home, like a broken smoke alarm, will be covered. Fire safety in the shared parts of a block of flats, like the stairs and fire doors, will not. Other fire safety laws cover those parts.

After that, the government plans to add every other kind of hazard except overcrowding. Its guidance says this will be in 2027.

If there is an emergency hazard, the landlord must look into it and make the home safe within 24 hours.

If there is a significant hazard, the landlord must look into it within 10 working days of finding out about it. It must then make the home safe within 5 working days.

For both kinds of hazard, the landlord must also:

It applies to homes you rent with a tenancy, including some temporary and supported housing. It does not cover homes you live in under a licence, or shared ownership.

Sources: The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 · The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, a draft laid before Parliament · Awaab's Law phase 2: guidance for social landlords (GOV.UK, updated 31 July 2026) · Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords (GOV.UK, updated 16 July 2026) · Awaab's Law: guidance for tenants (GOV.UK, updated 4 December 2025). Checked 6 November 2026; to be checked again by 1 December 2026.

Complaints

Complain to your landlord first. Your landlord must tell you it has your complaint within 5 working days. It must reply within 10 working days after that.

If you are not happy with the reply, ask for your complaint to go to the second stage. The landlord must tell you it has it within 5 working days, and reply within 20 working days after that.

The landlord can take longer only for a good reason, and must tell you how to contact the Housing Ombudsman if it does.

After the landlord's final reply, you can take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. It is free. You have 12 months from the final reply. If your landlord is not replying, the Ombudsman can step in sooner.

Contact the Housing Ombudsman on 0300 111 3000 or at info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk. Because of a problem with its computer systems in October 2026, it asks people to raise new complaints by phone or email for now.

Sources: The Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code · When to get help from the Housing Ombudsman · The Ombudsman's update on its IT security incident, 3 November 2026. Checked 5 November 2026; to be checked again by 12 November 2026.

If a landlord is not meeting the standards

The Regulator of Social Housing sets standards for how all social landlords treat tenants, including safety and repairs. If you think a landlord is not meeting them, you can tell the regulator. It does not sort out individual complaints: those go to the Housing Ombudsman.

You can tell the regulator online, by email to enquiries@rsh.gov.uk, or by phone on 0300 124 5225.

Sources: How to make a referral to the Regulator of Social Housing (updated 3 November 2026) · The regulator's consumer standards. Checked 3 November 2026; to be checked again by 3 December 2026.

Getting information from your landlord

Housing association tenants and shared owners: since 1 October 2026, housing associations must publish information about how they manage their homes, such as repairs, complaints and anti-social behaviour. From 1 April 2027 you can ask for information in writing. The landlord must answer within 30 days. If you are not happy, ask the landlord to look again, then you can go to the Housing Ombudsman within 3 months. This is called STAIRs.

Council tenants: STAIRs does not cover councils. Instead, you can ask a council for information under the Freedom of Information Act. It must answer within 20 working days. If you are not happy, ask the council to look again, then you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.

Sources: Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements: policy statement (GOV.UK, updated 30 September 2025) · The Housing Ombudsman on STAIRs · Freedom of Information Act 2000, section 10 · How to make a freedom of information request (GOV.UK). Checked 3 November 2026; to be checked again by 1 March 2027.

This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, contact Shelter, Citizens Advice or your council's housing team.