The Housing Ombudsman has ordered an independent review into Housing for Women’s rent recovery practices after a mishandled rent arrears case exposed serious failings in account management, complaint handling, and communication with tenants.
The ruling follows a distressing case in which a resident was wrongly informed she owed over £10,000 in arrears and was threatened with eviction, despite repeated pleas and evidence of payment. The Ombudsman found the landlord’s behaviour to be "adversarial and heavy-handed," prompting sector-wide calls for greater empathy and accountability.
A Miscalculation with Lasting Impact
The issue began when Housing for Women claimed the resident owed more than £10,000 in unpaid rent. After the resident challenged the figure, it was revised to £2,000, but legal action continued, culminating in an eviction notice just two days after Christmas.
The resident, already dealing with mental health issues, described feeling "struggling to cope" under the threat of losing her home. Despite providing proof of payment and requesting access to her online rent account, she was ignored.
When her formal complaint went unanswered, she turned to the Housing Ombudsman, which launched an investigation under its emergency powers. The Ombudsman found serious failings in the landlord’s processes, including poor record-keeping, a dismissive tone, and a lack of support for vulnerable residents.
Ombudsman Condemns ‘Heavy-Handed’ Approach
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway issued a damning statement:
"Throughout this case, the landlord took an adversarial and heavy-handed stance towards the resident, despite her regularly expressing the impact that legal threats were having on her well-being."
The case featured prominently in the Ombudsman’s recent Spotlight report on "Attitudes, Rights, and Respect," which urged landlords to adopt more empathetic communication and resident-focused procedures.
Housing for Women claimed the errors were linked to a single staff member, who has since been dismissed. However, the Ombudsman criticised the lack of senior oversight and weak rent management systems.
Reforms and Safeguards Introduced
In response to the findings, Housing for Women has taken steps to overhaul its processes:
- Adopted a new complaints policy in line with the Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code
- Launched a compensation policy to guide redress
- Conducted staff training in arrears and complaint handling
- Updated its arrears policy, now requiring sign-off from senior management before eviction action
- Initiated quarterly coordination meetings between finance and housing teams
The landlord admitted it had failed to consider the resident’s vulnerability and committed to closer monitoring of arrears and complaints moving forward.
Sector-Wide Warning and Public Reaction
The Ombudsman warned that this case should serve as a wake-up call to social landlords amid growing economic pressures.
"This case shows the importance of regular reviews of rent arrears management. It also highlights the need for landlord staff to show empathy and provide support when working with a resident in arrears, or at risk of losing their home."
On social media platform X, public responses were sharp:
"Landlords need to stop treating tenants like numbers," wrote one user.
"Evicting someone just after Christmas, during a cost-of-living crisis? Unforgivable."
A Turning Point for Housing for Women?
The independent review ordered by the Ombudsman will assess whether other residents may have been similarly mistreated. While Housing for Women says it has begun rebuilding trust, the case underscores the power imbalance between housing providers and tenants.
Tenant advocates urge others facing similar issues to contact the Housing Ombudsman or Citizens Advice. The Ombudsman continues to encourage landlords to take a person-centred approach—and warns that failure to do so may lead to further investigations.
For tenant support or to lodge a complaint, visit: housing-ombudsman.org.uk
? Or call the Housing Ombudsman Service at 0300 111 3000
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