Housing Ombudsman Upheld 609 Anti-Social Behaviour Complaints in 2025-26, Up From 159

3.7 · 4d ago · WORLD

The Facts

  • The Housing Ombudsman found failings in 609 anti-social behaviour complaint cases about social landlords in 2025-26, compared with 159 in 2021-22, almost four times as many. BBC only
  • Former Housing Ombudsman Ric Blakeway said upheld cases commonly involved poor communication, poor record keeping and not using tools such as risk assessments or action plans. BBC only
  • Blakeway attributed the rise in casework partly to easier access to the ombudsman and greater awareness of housing rights. BBC only
  • Where it finds failure, the ombudsman can require housing associations or councils to act, apologise or pay compensation. BBC only
  • North Devon Homes tenant James Daniel says he has endured seven years of alleged anti-social behaviour from successive neighbours; he has taken his case to the ombudsman and awaits a determination. BBC only
Dive deeper · 4 more factsShow less
  • North Devon Homes said it takes all reports seriously, is working with partner agencies, and has fully cooperated with the ombudsman's investigation. BBC only
  • Devon and Cornwall Police is increasingly using closure orders, which let it apply to a court to remove a resident from a property for at least three months (full closure) or bar visitors (partial closure). BBC only
  • The government is consulting on extending the time frame for closure orders to 12 months. BBC only
  • The High Court Enforcement Officers Association says its research shows a national average wait of six months in the county court bailiff system for an eviction after a possession order is granted. BBC only

Context

New Housing Ombudsman data show a sharp rise over five years in upheld complaints about how social landlords handle anti-social behaviour. The BBC illustrates the trend with the case of a North Devon Homes tenant who says repeated reports have not resolved his situation.

Police in Devon and Cornwall describe closure orders as an immediate but draconian temporary remedy, while the government consults on lengthening their maximum duration. Eviction through the courts can be slow and costly for landlords.

How the Agent Panel Scored This

Independent AI personas each scored importance 1–10; the story's score is a trimmed mean (highest and lowest votes dropped). Vote spread: 1.

4 News Editor This is a regional-to-national housing story reporting new ombudsman data on upheld complaints, a concrete but niche and largely statistical development with limited immediate impact on a broad population.
4 Informed Citizen The story reports rising upheld ombudsman complaints and a government consultation on closure orders, which matters to some social housing tenants and landlords but is a regional, limited-impact development rather than a concrete change affecting many people immediately.
3 Business Analyst The story reports a regional-to-national statistical rise in ombudsman-upheld complaints and a government consultation on closure orders, which is a niche housing issue with limited economic market impact.

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