Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report 2025/26
At Great Places, we are committed to listening to our customers and learning when things go wrong.
This report looks at the complaints we’ve received from customers during 1 April 2025 to the end of March 2026. It highlights what customers have told us, and how we’re using that feedback to improve our services. We know that making a complaint can sometimes be frustrating, so it’s important that we listen, put things right, and learn from every experience. Even when complaints are not upheld, we should ensure customers receive clear and constructive feedback, helping them understand the support available and the role they play in achieving a successful outcome.
We also use complaints to help us spot patterns, understand where services aren’t working as they should, and make changes that benefit all customers.
The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) asks all housing providers to publish an annual complaints report. This report shows how we’re performing, what we’ve learned, and what we’re doing next to improve our services for our customers. We’ve also completed our yearly self-assessment to show how we’re following the HOS Complaint Handling Code. This code makes it clear what landlords should focus on when handling complaints, with a real focus on listening and learning from customers.
What are the headlines for 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026?
Every day, our teams support customers over the phone, online and face-to-face, at home and in our communities. Between April 2025 and March 2026, they:
- answered 176,981 contacts through the Customer Hub, including calls, emails and webchat;
- handled 35,279 contacts through the Plumlife Directory;
- completed 54,708 repairs and carried out 1,727 damp inspections;
- logged 1,768 reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB).
Over the last year, we dealt with 1,608 stage one complaints. That’s 553 fewer complaints than the previous year, a reduction of 26%. This is compared to 2,161 complaints for the same time period in 2024/25.
While we never want customers to have reasons to complain, we also want it to be easy to tell us when something hasn’t gone right. Every complaint helps us understand where we need to improve.
How can customers make a complaint to us?
A complaint is when a customer asks us to look into an issue with a service they have received. When this happens, we will register it as a Stage One complaint. Our Customer Feedback Team manages these complaints, which starts with sending the customer a letter confirming with them that we have received their complaint and what will happen next. We aim to always send this within five working days. A member of the team will also attempt to speak with the customer to understand the exact nature of the complaint and explore resolutions. We then aim to provide a response to the complaint within 10 working days, letting the customer know the outcome and, where we’ve got something wrong, what we will do to put it right.
A stage two complaint is when a customer feels their concerns have not been fully resolved at stage one and asks us to review the complaint again. Stage two complaints are reviewed by a manager or senior leader who was not involved in the original response. They will speak with the customer, review the original investigation outcome, and confirm whether they feel the investigation was fair and the outcome was reasonable. They will then confirm this in writing to the customer usually within 20 working days.
In 2025/26, 336 complaints were escalated to stage two, representing 21% of all complaints. This is higher than the previous year and remains an area we are focused on improving.
We’ve reviewed the reasons why customers ask for a stage two review. The most common reasons include:
- customers being unhappy with the outcome of their complaint;
- customers wanting us to review compensation;
- concerns about agreed actions not being completed;
- customers wanting to complete our internal process before approaching the Housing Ombudsman Service.
We know it’s important to get things right the first time. That’s why we’re focusing on improving the quality of stage one responses and making sure agreed actions are completed. To help us do this, we’ve made improvements to the way we track actions and resolutions so that colleagues can see them through to completion. We will continue to monitor this during 2026-27 and will share more with our customers over the coming year.
If a customer remains unhappy after stage two, they can ask the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) to investigate their complaint.
In 2025/26 we received:
- 29 Ombudsman determinations (final decisions made by the HOS);
- 60 findings (individual outcomes from the HOS investigations)
- 35 maladministration or service failure findings (where the HOS found we had not provided the standard set out in our service level agreements).
Each Ombudsman determination can include more than one finding, depending on the different aspects of the complaint being investigated. That’s why we received more findings than determinations.
When the HOS finds we have got something wrong, they will provide us with an overall maladministration rate. In 2025/26, ours was 60%, which is the same as last year. We recognise there is room for improvement and we are confident that, with the improvements we have made to complaint handling and service improvement activity, particularly in our repair service, this should be lower next year.
What were the HOS findings in 2025/26?
We are pleased to report that Great Places received no severe maladministration findings from the Housing Ombudsman Service during 2025/26. This is when landlords get something wrong that has had a significant, negative impact upon the customer.
We know there is always more we can do and continue to use Ombudsman decisions to help improve our services and customer experience.
All 60 findings are broken down as:
Complaint Handling Failure Orders (CHFOs): Great Places received no CHFOs during 2025/26. This means the Housing Ombudsman Service did not identify any failures to comply with its complaint handling requirements.
Categories, outcomes and complaint handling performance
We receive a wide range of complaints, but below are the three main areas customers contacted us about during 2025/26.
Repairs - 589 complaints
Repairs remained the highest area for customer complaints, although these complaints reduced by 32% compared with the previous year.
The main reasons for complaints were:
- Delay to repairs – 41% (243);
- Failure of service – 33% (193);
- Missed appointments – 11% (65);
- Damage – 8% (47).
Customers told us they were frustrated by repairs taking longer than expected, repeat visits, missed appointments and repairs not being completed first time.
Over the last year, we’ve continued to focus on improvements to this service through our Repairs Review, including:
- a new Repairs Policy developed with customer input (due to go live Autumn 2026);
- a new team structure with clearer responsibilities;
- a new diagnostic tool to help identify repairs correctly first time (which is due to go live in November 2026);
- automated text reminders to support appointment management and letting customers know when we are coming.
Customer Experience - 414 complaints
Customer Experience complaints reduced by 31% compared with the previous year.
The main reasons for complaints were:
- Failure to provide service – 84% (346). This includes things like
- Communication issues such as lack of timely or regular updates;
- Damp, mould and pest concerns, for example, cases not resolved at the root cause;
- Anti-social behaviour and safeguarding concerns.
Over the next year, we’re focusing on improving some of our key services to address the concerns customers have raised. We’re also investing in better digital tools to improve how we communicate and to keep customers updated on progress. Customers have told us that not receiving regular updates can be frustrating, so we’re working to provide clearer, more timely information about matters we’re handling on their behalf.
Compliance and gas services - 314 complaints
Complaints relating to gas services reduced by 29% compared with the previous year.
However, the main reasons for these complaints were:
- Delays to repair – 37% (116);
- Failed service – 36% (114);
- Missed appointments – 20% (64).
We changed how we manage gas calls last year, with our gas contractor, SureServe, now picking up enquiries in the first instance. This was put in place to improve the customer experience at the first point of contact, and we’re continuing to work closely with them to improve communication, appointment management and service reliability.
What were the outcomes from complaints we investigated on behalf of our customers?
The outcomes for complaints received during 2025/26 were:
- 56% service failure;
- 44% no service failure.
When we identify a service failure, we take action to put things right and look at what improvements can be made to stop the issue happening again.
When a complaint is not upheld, there can still be valuable learning. These cases often highlight opportunities to improve communication, manage expectations more clearly and review how we explain our decisions.
Complaint handling performance
We want to share our performance, and this is a key requirement of the HOS code.
During 2025/26:
- 97.8% of complaints were handled within Housing Ombudsman timescales, up from 87% last year;
- 79% were resolved at stage one;
- 21% were escalated to stage two;
- Zero complaints were refused (it is rare that we decline a customer’s request to make a complaint);
- Complaint handling satisfaction (the Tenant Satisfaction Measure score) increased to 45.8%, an increase of 3.7% on last year’s score;
- £154k compensation was paid compared with a budget of £150k.
We’re pleased that customer satisfaction has improved again this year. However, we know there is more to do, particularly around resolving complaints earlier and improving communication throughout the process.
What are we doing to improve?
Great Places is committed to learning from complaints and customer feedback. We wanted to share some of the areas we have been focused in improving based on our customers feedback through our complaints service.
Complaint handling
Over the last year, we continued our review of complaints, focusing on how we could improve handling, processes, systems and colleague training. This has included:
- improved system features and automations;
- automated complaint letters;
- better tracking of compensation payments;
- improved tracking of actions and resolutions;
- additional colleague training.
This is focused on improving our communication with customers, ensuring we meet our commitments and timescales for customers using our complaint handling service. We also carefully review every Ombudsman decision and use this learning to improve services.
Recent improvements include:
Contents insurance
We’ve improved the information available to customers about contents insurance and made it easier to find support and guidance through our website and customer communications. While incidents such as leaks can sometimes occur, and Great Places is responsible for carrying out any necessary repairs to the home, customers are responsible for insuring their personal belongings. Contents insurance can help provide peace of mind by covering the cost of replacing items if they are damaged.
Visits and inspections
We will now arrange for a member of our property service team to undertake a survey of a customer’s home when the Housing Ombudsman Service reach out when a customer has sought their advice. This helps us understand issues earlier and if there is anything we haven’t completed or anything new that we need to resolve for the customer.
Temporary moves (decants)
We understand the upheaval and stress that can be caused if a customer needs to move out of their home. We’ve updated our approach to supporting customers who need to temporarily move out while major work is completed. This includes clearer communication and improved customer involvement throughout the process.
Anti-social behaviour
We’ve reviewed anti-social behaviour cases and provided additional guidance and refresher training to colleagues to strengthen decision making and customer communication.
Policy and procedure improvements
We’ve reviewed and updated several policies and procedures during 2025/26, including:
- Tenancy Management;
- Decants; (temporary moves)
- Tree management;
- Home Improvement Policy.
Communications
We’ve continued to improve how we communicate with customers. This includes:
- introducing new tools to monitor website accessibility and usability;
- improving customer communications with feedback from our Customer Committee;
- preparing to launch a new communication platform to provide clearer updates and information via email.
Spotlight Reports, Special Investigation Reports and performance – Housing Ombudsman Service
The Housing Ombudsman Service publishes Spotlight Reports to highlight areas where it sees common problems across the housing sector.
During the year we reviewed the Ombudsman’s Repairing Trust report, which focused on:
- treating customers with respect;
- improving repairs and maintenance services;
- building stronger relationships with contractors;
- setting clear expectations for behaviour and communication.
We have a clear process for meeting the Housing Ombudsman’s requirements, including how we respond to their Spotlight Reports.
Each Spotlight Report has a lead officer and a sponsor, supported by our Directors. Lead officers complete Ombudsman training, create action plans, and report on progress and improvements.
The Ombudsman also publishes Special Investigation Reports. None have involved Great Places, but we still share any learning or insights with colleagues, managers, or Directors where needed.
This year, Great Places was highlighted in a Housing Ombudsman good practice report. The Ombudsman recognised our handling of a repairs case involving a leak, highlighting positive communication and effective management of repairs and appointments. We will continue to listen to customers feedback and use complaints as an opportunity to learn and put things right when they haven’t gone as they should. We’re committed to learning from complaints to help us improve services, policies and communications for all customers.
Compliments
Customers also tell us when we get our service right. During 2025/26 we received:
- 1,493 Trustpilot compliments;
- 185 compliments shared directly with colleagues.
In total, we received 1,678 compliments during the year. Every compliment is shared with colleagues so that we can celebrate good service and learn from positive customer experiences.
We will also be focusing on:
- Improving TSM satisfaction for LCHO customers through more consistent communication, improved customer experience and better management of complaints from first contact through to resolution.
- Reducing Stage 2 escalations and response times and strengthening the follow-up of commitments made at Stage 1.
- Embedding the Housing Ombudsman’s new Compensation Framework,
- Developing a risk-based complaints triage process that better identifies and supports customers with additional support needs.
- Introducing a transactional satisfaction survey to complement TSM results.
Together, these initiatives will strengthen customer experience, improve service quality and ensure we continue to learn from complaints and drive organisational improvement.
Board and Customer Committee response
This is what our Board and Customer Committee say on this year's report.
We are clear that providing outstanding customer service at Great Places is a priority for our customers. Over the past 18 months, we have had a focus on listening to customers, dealing with complaints more effectively and taking the learning to prevent complaints occurring in future.
We are pleased that our continued focus on improving services and handling complaints more effectively has led to a better experience for customers over the past 12 months. During 2025/26, we received fewer complaints than the previous year, resolved complaints, and used customer feedback and learning from complaints to drive further service improvements.
Customers have recognised these improvements. Satisfaction with our complaint handling increased by 3.7% to 45.8%, while overall tenant satisfaction rose by 7.7% to 78.5%. We also saw an 8.2% increase in customers saying they feel listened to, reaching 73.8%. These results demonstrate the positive impact of our commitment to learning, improving, and putting customers at the heart of our services.
We have also had a real focus on preventing complaints over the last 12 months with our property services improvement programme aimed to deliver a more effective repairs and investment service for customers. This has also resulted in significant improvements in customer satisfaction of 5.4% (79.2%) and made a significant difference for our customers.
However, it is important that we don’t rest on our laurels, as each and every complaint for a customer can have an impact in their home and is important to us, so we will be striving to do even better over the coming 12 months.
Our complaints performance and learning is reported to our Customer Committee throughout the year who scrutinise our performance and learning. Over the coming 12 months we will be focusing on dealing with complaints at the first stage more effectively as some complaints are not satisfactorily resolved at the first opportunity. We will also be looking at how we can improve satisfaction with complaint handling for Low-Cost Homeowners who have told us they are not satisfied with the service we deliver.
We will also be exploring how we can improve complaint handling for customers with additional support needs and if there is more, we can do to reach customers that may not complain to Great Places to ensure we can be confident in equity of outcome for all our customers.
We will continue to learn from the Ombudsman reports and from peers across the sector to continue to identify areas of focus where we can continue to make a positive difference for our customers. We are also rolling out our Customer Experience Masterclasses at Great Places to all colleagues. This emphasises the importance of ownership, responsibility and accountability for all customer interactions with Great Places colleagues.
The Customer Committee will continue to play an important role through the coming 12 months and will receive regular performance reporting for complaints. We would like to thank the Committee for their continued focus in this important area of service for our customers and to the Great Places team for their commitment and improvements they have delivered over the past 12 months.
