Aster

The Housing Ombudsman is the independent service that investigates complaints about social landlords. When it finds a landlord got things wrong, it records "service failure", "maladministration" or, for the most serious failings, "severe maladministration" — and its maladministration rate counts all three. The findings below concern Aster Group Limited, not subsidiaries such as Central and Cecil that let homes under their own names.^[1][4]

The 2025-26 performance report. The Ombudsman decided 37 Aster cases between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, not counting cases wholly outside its jurisdiction or withdrawn. They produced 83 findings; three of those findings fell outside its jurisdiction, so 80 count towards the rate.^[2] As the Ombudsman set out the rate: "The number of 'Mal' findings recorded for Aster Group Limited is 30, which gives the Maladministration rate of 37.5% (30 / 80)". That is below the national rate of 62%, and the 52% rate for landlords of a similar size and type.^[2]

“The number of 'Mal' findings recorded for Aster Group Limited is 30, which gives the Maladministration rate of 37.5% (30 / 80)”^[2]

Housing Ombudsman Service, Landlord Performance Report 2025/2026 — Aster Group Limited (15 September 2026)

Where the findings fell. The largest category was what the Ombudsman calls "managing relations": 28 findings, with a maladministration rate of 43% against 57% nationally. Responsive repairs came next: 26 findings, at 35% against 72% nationally.^[2] Complaint handling was the largest single sub-category, with 25 findings. Condensation, damp and mould carried 7, and it was there that the Ombudsman made its one finding of severe maladministration.^[2]

A falling rate. The report puts Aster's rate at 61% in 2023-24, across 36 decided cases, and 50% in 2024-25, across 34, before the fall recorded for 2025-26. The Ombudsman has restated the 2023-24 case count on its current basis.^[2]

In individual cases. In a decision dated 30 April 2026, the Ombudsman found "Maladministration by the landlord in its response to reports of damp and mould". Aster had accepted significant delays; the Ombudsman ordered £3,300 in compensation and a review of what went wrong.^[5] Not every complaint is upheld: in an October 2025 case, it found Aster had already put things right over drainage problems — "reasonable redress" — and no maladministration over roof repairs.^[6]

“Maladministration by the landlord in its response to reports of damp and mould”^[5]

Housing Ombudsman Service, Aster Group Limited (202526007) — Housing Ombudsman decision (30 April 2026, 202526007)

What tenants say. In the regulator's data for 2024-25, 79.1% of Aster's rental tenants were satisfied with its overall service, against a landlord median of 71.8%. Satisfaction with complaint handling was 39.1%, against a median of 35.5%.^[7][8] Aster reports 79.9% overall satisfaction in its own 2025-26 survey.^[9]

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is the government body that checks social landlords meet required standards. It grades landlords in three ways: a consumer grade (C1 to C4) for the homes and services tenants receive, a governance grade (G1 to G4) for how well the landlord is run, and a viability grade (V1 to V4) for its finances.

Aster's consumer grade is C1. In a judgement published on 8 July 2026 — the first time it has given Aster a consumer grade — the regulator graded it C1: "Our judgement is that overall the landlord is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards. The landlord has demonstrated that it identifies when issues occur and puts plans in place to remedy and minimise recurrence."^[1] C1 is the strongest of the four consumer grades.

What the regulator found. The regulator said Aster "provides an effective, efficient and timely repairs and maintenance service". It also has a repairs transformation plan aimed at cutting the volume of reactive repairs and improving communication with tenants. The regulator said it saw evidence "that complaints are addressed fairly, promptly and effectively".^[1]

Governance and viability. The regulator grades Aster G1 for governance, the strongest grade, finding it "meets our governance requirements". It grades Aster V2 for viability: it meets the viability requirements, but has "a number of financial risks that it needs to manage". These include significant investment in existing homes while it keeps building new ones, and a larger programme of selling homes.^[1]

No regulatory notice. There is no regulatory notice — a formal published finding of a breach — in force against Aster; the regulator's page for it lists only its judgements.^[12] Grades are reviewed from time to time and may change — the date above is the one that matters.

A housing association's repair duties are just as strong as a council's — and they do not depend on its track record.

Repairs. Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Aster must keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair — the roof, walls, windows and doors. It must also keep the installations for heating, hot water, gas, electricity, water and sanitation in proper working order. This applies to almost every tenancy and cannot be signed away in a tenancy agreement.

Fitness for human habitation. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (section 9A of the 1985 Act), your home must also be fit to live in — free from serious hazards, including damp and mould that could harm your health.

Awaab's Law. Awaab's Law now sets legally binding timescales for social landlords, housing associations included, to investigate hazards such as damp and mould and make homes safe — the disrepair page sets them out.^[13]

Aster's own repair timescales. Aster sorts repairs into priorities, each with a published target time, from emergencies through to routine and batched work — the disrepair page lists them.^[11]

Where to report and complain. Report a non-emergency repair through your MyAster account, or call Aster's contact centre. Make a complaint through its two-stage complaints process at aster.co.uk/contact-us/complaints.^[16][17]