Learning from the Ombudsman: how we're improving housing services
The investigation was first announced in July 2024 because of a high maladministration rate in complaints against Lewisham Council, particularly in cases involving damp and mould:
This means that for many complaints by our residents, the Ombudsman found that we had failed to act properly, by making mistakes, causing unreasonable delays, giving poor advice or not following our own policies and procedures.
The context
Lewisham Council took direct control of housing services from Lewisham Homes in October 2023. The aim of this change was to improve the housing service by providing a more joined-up service, linking it to other Council services that residents rely on.
Having reviewed housing services in the initial months of direct management, we referred ourselves to the Regulator of Social Housing for a potential breach of its consumer standards. We have been reporting regularly to the Regulator on our improvement plans since then.
We acknowledge the significant impact that failures in our housing services have had on residents. The cases highlighted in the Ombudsman’s report are a crucial reminder of the importance of getting the basics right – safe, decent homes and respectful, timely service.
Since the cases examined in the report (July-October 2024), we have taken decisive steps to address the underlying issues and we appreciate the Ombudsman’s recognition of the improvement work already underway.
Tackling hazards
In 2024 we completed a stock condition survey covering 83% of properties internally and 100% externally. This provides the most accurate picture to date of where aren’t meeting the Decent Homes Standard – the national benchmark for safe, warm and well-maintained homes – and gives us the evidence to target hazards effectively.
We take a risk-led approach to hazards in homes, using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) to rate the urgency of hazards. These could include damp and mould, missing alarms or anything else in the home which could potentially be dangerous to residents.
We have now cleared our backlog of Category 1 hazards – the most serious risks – and we are working to remove all moderate hazards by December 2025.
On damp and mould, we reduce the immediate risk first, then complete follow-on works where appropriate. These include responsive fixes such as mould washes and improved ventilation as well more major upgrades such as insulation, window and door replacements, ventilation upgrades and new roofs.
In doing this work we are also making sure we are prepared for Awaab’s law – new legal duties that set strict timescales for investigating and fixing damp and mould.
Improving services
Since housing services returned to the Council in October 2023, we’ve been working hard to improve how we manage information and deliver repairs. A new housing management system (the central database for all resident information) is now in place, and we are now implementing a new platform for managing the repairs service. This will help us keep closer track of ongoing repairs, whether they are being complete by our in-house team or one of our contractors.
Managing repairs and contractors
We’ve strengthened how we manage contractors, with new staff and clearer processes. We’re reviewing subcontracting to cut unnecessary costs, completing more repairs with our in-house team, and focusing on completing repairs on the first visit – this has included extensive training for our call-centre teams to triage repairs jobs effectively, so that we are sending specialist repairs staff with the right equipment and materials for more complex jobs.
We’ve also improved how we check repair quality. Larger jobs are reviewed by surveyors, and residents can now give instant feedback when a repair is completed. Call handling has also improved – most calls are answered in around two minutes, and we’ve added more support to help staff respond quickly and professionally.
Improving complaint resolutions
Our handling of complaints is a central issue in the Ombudsman’s report. Since the period covered, we have redesigned our complaints process from the ground up, trained all relevant staff, and implement a continuous training and improvement.
Complaints are now handled more efficiently, with faster responses and fewer escalations, and a focus on making our responses clear and fair every time.
Supporting residents
All resident data, including vulnerabilities and specific needs, is now stored in our new housing management system. This is helping us better understand how vulnerabilities affect residents’ housing needs.
To keep our records up to date, we launched a programme of Home Checks in April 2025. Over the next five years, we will proactively visit every home we manage to confirm who lives there, check for any support needs, and make sure repairs are up to date and homes meet national standards.
We are supporting this work by introducing a set of vulnerability questions to every contact with residents, to make sure our data is constantly updated and we’re in a better position to offer support.
Cllr Will Cooper, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness said: “The Ombudsman’s report highlights serious failings and their impact on residents, which we fully acknowledge. Everyone deserves a safe, decent home and a service they can trust and I am sorry that we haven’t provided this for too many of our residents. I am glad, however, that the Ombudsman recognises that we have improved since the cases it examined, which are over a year old, and have plans in place to keep improving.“Since we brought Lewisham’s housing service back in-house in October 2023, we’ve made big strides in the right direction, though I know that progress has been slow at times and won’t have been felt by every resident. We have cleared the most serious hazards from the homes we manage following the condition survey of over 80% of homes, and we’ve strengthened repairs management. We are also investing around £70m per year in major works to improve the overall condition of buildings, so we can expect the pressure on our repairs service to reduce year by year.
“We’re not there yet, but the service is committed to learning from feedback, improving services, and delivering the high standards our residents deserve. Our goal remains clear: safe, well-maintained homes for all our residents.”
Improvements at a glance
Decent homes
- April 2024: 76% of homes met the Decent Homes Standard
- April 2025: 83% of homes met the standard
- Target 90% by April 2026, 95% by April 2027
Stock condition
- The survey of 83% of our homes completed in early 2025
- 1,400 serious hazards were discovered and fixed
- Data is being used to plan major works where they are most needed
- £320m budgeted for major works in next five years
Repairs call centre waiting time
- 2023/24: 46 minutes average
- 2024/25: Just over 10 minutes average
- 2025/26 year to date: 6 minutes and 6 seconds average
Emergency repairs completed on time
- 2023/24: 61%
- 2024/25: 93%
Repairs backlog (incomplete jobs)
- April 2024: 14,700
- April 2025: 8,300
- Target: 4,500 by April 2026, 3,500 by April 2027