The government have launched a consultation paper "Strengthening consumer redress in the housing
market" setting out options and seeking ideas for a simpler and
better system for dealing with housing complaints so future
disputes can be resolved faster and consumers can access swift
redress and compensation where it is owed.
Options considered in the consultation paper include:
- introducing a single housing ombudsman to cover the whole of
the housing market both public and private, owner-occupied and
rented sectors
- whether home builders should be required to join an ombudsman
scheme, following on the government's commitment to expand redress
to tenants of private landlord
- the naming and shaming poor practice to help tackle the worst
abuses
- sanctions and financial awards of up to £25,000 and more.
Currently, there are multiple providers of redress that cover
some aspects of home buying and renting, but not all and membership
of ombudsman schemes is compulsory for some groups, but not for
others.
The consultation paper seeks responses from tenants,
leaseholders, landlords, homeowners, and existing ombudsman schemes
across 3 key areas:
- the effectiveness of the current complaint process, or if more
can be done to improve the experience
- what standard of service should be expected and if a single
housing ombudsman is needed
- how to fill the existing gaps in the current system, such as
private landlords not having to register with a redress scheme
The consultation began on 18 February and will close on 16 April
2018.
Tenant representatives on the ARCH Tenant Group will consider
the consultation paper at their next meeting on 26 March 2018 and
the Group will feed its views to the ARCH Executive Board at its
meeting on 9 April 2018 to help inform an ARCH response.
There is an online form available to housing consumers
(public and private tenants and home-owners) until the 16 April
2018.
If your council is considering a response to the consultation
paper please copy your response to ARCH Chief Executive John Bibby
john.bibby@arch-housing.org.uk
to help inform the ARCH response on behalf of local authority
landlords and the stock-retained sector.