The Housing Ombudsman’s powers and profile have increased over the past couple of years, as has the unprecedented demand for its service. The Housing Ombudsman Service’s corporate plan for 2022-25 sets out ambitious goals and reinforces the changing role and importance of complaint handling.
Having both worked for the Housing Ombudsman Service, hub leads John Goodwin and Dave Simmons have extensive, first-hand experience of what’s required. They led on the project to produce the Ombudsman’s first ‘Complaint Handling Code’ which sets out best practice complaint handling for the sector and they are both trainers and accredited mediators. They have run numerous training workshops for HQN and regularly receive great feedback.
Hub members will have access to regularly updated resources including:
It’s free to members of the Housing Quality Network, just email [email protected] and we’ll get you set up.
We’re keen to hear from you as members about your priorities and what you’d like covered, so please send your ideas to us.
Dave Simmons currently works as a Dispute Resolution Improvement Manager for a large housing association.
He is an experienced trainer in complaints handling in the housing sector covering a wide range of subject areas. He was formerly Sector Development Lead at the Housing Ombudsman Service where he was responsible for the writing and delivery of training workshops, webinars and forums to different audiences including residents, landlords and Boards. Dave also led on the project to produce the Ombudsman’s first ‘Complaint Handling Code’ which sets out best practice complaint handling for the sector.
Outside of his full-time roles, Dave’s training experience extends to his work as an associate for Tpas (tenant engagement experts). He is also an experienced accredited mediator and has mediated on a wide range of disputes including family, community and workplace. As well as his private mediation work, he volunteers for a community mediation charity in Croydon where he is a Board Trustee.
John Goodwin is a housing trainer and consultant, with extensive experience in the social housing sector, particularly in complaint-handling, resident involvement and governance.
John was Compliance and Systemic Lead at the Housing Ombudsman Service until 2022, responsible for addressing systemic failings by landlords. He was involved in drafting the Ombudsman’s first ‘Complaint Handling Code’ and for delivering training to landlords, residents and others to improve complaint-handling and learning from complaints across the sector.
Prior to joining the Ombudsman, John spent ten years with the Audit Commission’s Housing Inspectorate – inspecting a range of housing organisations and services.
John previously worked for Shelter in several roles, including Head of Legal Services and Editor of ROOF magazine. He began his housing career in homelessness, housing advice and resettlement with a London borough.
John has written and edited a number of publications including: ‘Built to Last’ (a history of British housing policy).
John is also an accredited mediator and a trustee and past chair of a social care charity.
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Welcome to the January 2024 edition of HQM. We start the year with a look at the planned 2024/25 rent increase and its implications for both landlords and residents. We also ask some of the … Read more
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A Housing Ombudsman inspection report has found that despite a council’s improvements, the efforts haven’t been “seen and felt by its residents”. An inspection of Lambeth Council was launched by the ombudsman after it remained … Read more
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HQN is delighted to announce the appointment of Chloe Fletcher as a new director. A well-known and highly regarded figure in the social housing sector, Chloe joins from the National Federation of ALMOs, where she … Read more
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The Housing Ombudsman has ordered a social landlord to pay £10,800 in compensation to households after it made four findings of severe maladministration across three cases. In Case A (202121016) the ombudsman found severe maladministration … Read more
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Who doesn’t look forward to a housing regulation quiz at this time of year? And we have one for you that gradually gets harder to really test hardcore regulation fans! If you don’t get 100%, … Read more
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The Housing Ombudsman Service last week published its latest report on Complaint Handling Failure Orders (CHFOs). In a mixed bag of results, the service reported that it had issued its highest ever number of CHFOs … Read more
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The autumn edition of HQM features a big interview with Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, in which he shares his insights into the service’s progress and his views on everything from leasehold to mergers. Lara … Read more
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About the role: We are looking for new colleagues to join our amazing and friendly Contact Team! We pride ourselves on exceptional customer service, putting their needs at the heart of every decision we make … Read more
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The Housing Ombudsman has found severe maladministration in two separate cases for a housing association, with one resident left with faulty windows for nearly five years and another vulnerable resident left in damp and mould for three … Read more
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The Ombudsman has found severe maladministration for how a local authority handled a damp and mould case, taking them over three years to resolve the issue and repeatedly not keeping the resident updated on repairs, therefore ordering … Read more
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The Housing Ombudsman has found severe maladministration for a local authority for its lack of stage one complaint response on two separate occasions, which left a resident and her two vulnerable children in a home with damp … Read more
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The Housing Ombudsman has ordered a council to pay almost £13,000 to a resident after delays in providing his disability adaptations meant he was forced to undertake the work himself. Waverley Borough Council’s delay meant … Read more
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Organisations in Nottingham ‘did not do enough’ to help a vulnerable resident when she was faced with anti-social behaviour, two ombudsman services have found. In the first joint investigation made by the two Ombudsman services, … Read more
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2 x 35 hours, 2 x 25 hours and 1 x 31 hours posts Permanent Are you a brilliant customer champion, looking to start your career in social housing? About You… We have exciting opportunities … Read more
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The Housing Ombudsman has ordered Barking and Dagenham Council to pay £6,000 to a resident after leaving her and her family of six in damp and mould for over two and a half years – … Read more
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Are you an expert at finding solutions? Excellent people skills, inquisitive, confident, and previous experience of providing fantastic customer care, if this sounds like you then this is your opportunity to explore joining one of … Read more
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The senior coroner of Greater Manchester, Alison Mutch, has demanded an apology from a housing association following the death of one of their residents from hypothermia. Sylvia Pollitt, a resident of L&Q, was found dead … Read more
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The Housing Ombudsman has released its special investigation report into L&Q, with the landlord having “consistently failed” to resolve vital issues it has been facing. Whilst the landlord has since developed an action plan in … Read more
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Location: HQN event –
Virtual
12 March 2024 – 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Location: Best practice groups –
Virtual
22 April 2024 – 9:30am – 11:00am
Location: HQN event –
Virtual
08 May 2024 – 10:30am – 3:30pm
Location: Best practice groups –
Virtual
10 June 2024 – 9:30am – 11:00am
Location: Best practice groups –
Virtual
09 September 2024 – 9:30am – 11:00am
Location: Best practice groups –
Virtual
18 November 2024 – 9:30am – 11:00am
Public training –
Live virtual
28 February 2024 – 10:00am – 1:00pm
Public training –
Live virtual
15 April 2024 – 10:00am – 1:00pm
Public training –
Live virtual
22 April 2024 – 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Public training –
Live virtual
24 April 2024 – 10:00am – 1:00pm
Public training –
Live virtual
30 April 2024 – 10:00am – 1:00pm
Public training –
Live virtual
20 May 2024 – 10:00am – 1:00pm
Public training –
Live virtual
04 June 2024 – 9:30am – 3:00pm
Public training –
Live virtual
24 July 2024 – 10:00am – 1:00pm
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