The Housing Ombudsman has revealed it opened a Tier 1 investigation into Ealing Council’s housing service after identifying a high incidence of maladministration and severe maladministration findings in complaints from residents living in council homes, with leaks, damp and mould among the key concerns.
In the Housing Ombudsman’s annual performance figures for 2023-24, Labour-run Ealing Council recorded a maladministration rate of 89%, up from 63% the previous year and significantly higher than the national average of 73%.
Separately, the Ombudsman told EALING.NEWS that analysis used as part of its decision to open the Tier 1 investigation, covering the period from December 2023 to November 2024, found Ealing Council had a maladministration rate of 79% and a severe maladministration rate of 13.4%. The two figures relate to different assessment periods and datasets used by the Ombudsman.
Tier 1 investigations are used by the Housing Ombudsman where complaint data identifies wider service issues that require further scrutiny and improvement.
The findings were published as part of the Housing Ombudsman’s further investigation process, which examines landlords where complaint data suggests potential systemic issues.
Information provided by the Ombudsman to EALING.NEWS shows the 2023-24 figures were based on 74 findings across 31 determinations.
The Ombudsman said the cases it reviewed highlighted problems with contractor management, poor information and knowledge management, communication with residents and consideration of vulnerable residents.
It also found the council repeatedly failed to log, respond to or escalate complaints and did not always provide remedies it had promised to residents.
The Ombudsman subsequently reviewed 13 determinations issued between 20 July 2024 and 20 January 2025 to identify more recent themes.
Across those cases, it made 38 findings and recorded a maladministration rate of 79%.
While that represented a reduction in the overall maladministration rate compared with the previous year, the rate of severe maladministration findings increased from 9% to 18%, with seven severe maladministration findings recorded during the period reviewed.
The Ombudsman also said that every leak, damp and mould case reviewed during the six-month period resulted in a maladministration finding, with three severe maladministration findings recorded.
In a landlord learning statement published by the Housing Ombudsman, Ealing Council said complaints data had highlighted issues around access to services, support for vulnerable residents, accountability and follow-through on commitments made to residents.
The council said it is developing a Customer Access Strategy after identifying a need to improve access to services through resident feedback, Housing Ombudsman determinations and evidence that some residents may face barriers when trying to access services.
Ealing Council said actions already taken or planned include resident workshops on complaints and accessibility, enhanced staff training, a Resident Census to collect information on vulnerabilities and reasonable adjustments, an accessibility review by a disability charity, revised complaints information, a new vulnerability policy and additional accountability measures within the complaints process.
An Ealing Council spokesperson told EALING.NEWS:
“We have taken significant steps to strengthen how residents can access our services, particularly for those who may be more vulnerable. These include working with residents in workshops to co-design improvements to complaints handling and accessibility, strengthened staff training so vulnerability and accessibility needs are identified and considered in every interaction and launched a Resident Census to help us better understand residents’ needs and ensure appropriate support is in place.
“We have also commissioned an independent accessibility review, updated our complaints information to make it clearer and available through more channels and formats, introduced a new vulnerability policy, co-designed with residents, and also strengthened accountability within our complaints process to ensure we follow through on commitments.
“While this work is ongoing, we can already see they’re making a positive difference in delivering on our commitment to accessibility and accountability as there has been an increased use of different complaint channels. Our focus is on ensuring fair, consistent and responsive services for all residents, and we remain committed to listening, learning and improving.”
Councillor Gary Malcolm, leader of the Ealing Liberal Democrats, told EALING.NEWS:
“Liberal Democrats have raised a huge number of concerns about Ealing Council’s housing service and the impact it has had on tenants. Too many residents have been ignored by the council, left living with mould and damp, or waiting too long for urgent repairs to be fixed.
“It seems that Labour-run Ealing Council only acts when it is forced to.”
