The Housing Ombudsman for England has called for a culture change in social housing, accusing landlords of blaming tenants and not taking responsibility for disrepairs following an ITV News investigation.
Richard Blakeway told ITV News he was “shocked” by the news reports, saying councils and housing associations lack empathy and respect for residents.
In a damning report, which investigated 142 social housing providers and spoke to hundreds of tenants, he demanded “changes in culture, behaviour and approach; from being reactive to proactive, and from inferring blame to taking responsibility.”
The Ombudsman’s inquiry was launched after a series of ITV News reports which found social housing tenants living in uninhabitable conditions, in homes riddled with mould, damp, leaks and collapsing ceilings.
