Ealing Council

The Housing Ombudsman is the independent body that investigates complaints about social landlords. When it finds a landlord got things wrong, it makes a finding of "maladministration" — or "severe maladministration" for the most serious failings.

The 2024/25 performance report. In 2024/25 the Ombudsman decided 23 Ealing Council cases, producing 63 findings. Excluding two findings outside its jurisdiction, it used 61 to calculate the rate: 50 were maladministration, including nine severe — 82%, against 71% nationally and 80% for landlords of a similar size and type.^[3] The rate has fallen from 89% in 2023/24, though it remains above the 63% recorded in 2022/23.^[6] The findings spanned property condition, complaints handling, staff conduct, and information and data management.^[3] The Ombudsman made 118 orders in cases decided that year. Separately, its compliance table for orders due in 2024/25 records full compliance, with 98% completed within three months.^[6] In March 2025 the Ombudsman also used its wider powers to ask the council for assurance about repeated service failures it had identified across its casework.^[6]

A severe-maladministration finding. In a determination in August 2025, the Ombudsman found severe maladministration in the council's handling of a roof leak that caused damp and mould, and maladministration in its complaint handling.^[7]

“there was severe maladministration in relation to the landlord's handling of a roof leak, which caused damp and mould”^[7]

Housing Ombudsman Service, Determination 202430100, London Borough of Ealing (5 August 2025, 202430100)

What the council says it has done. The council reports that it has restructured its housing service with permanent leadership and more staff, that 93% of its homes meet the Decent Homes Standard with a target of 100% by 2028, and that it is committing £425m over five years to upgrade homes.^[1] Its own 2024/25 tenant survey recorded overall satisfaction of 56.2% and satisfaction with repairs of 63.8%, and satisfaction with complaint handling of 21.0%.^[8]

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is the government body that checks social landlords meet required standards for safe, decent homes. Since 2024 it has been inspecting landlords and giving each a consumer grade from C1 (the strongest) to C4.

Ealing has a C2 grade. In a regulatory judgement published on 26 November 2025 — the first consumer grade issued for the council — the regulator gave Ealing Council a C2, the second-highest grade.^[1] It concluded there are some weaknesses in the council delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and that improvement is needed, specifically in the Safety and Quality Standard and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, while finding the council largely meeting its health-and-safety requirements.^[1]

A 2022 regulatory notice, now closed. The grade followed regulator engagement that began when Ealing Council self-referred in 2022 over ineffective systems for meeting its health-and-safety responsibilities, including monitoring remedial work on electrical, asbestos and water safety. The regulator issued a regulatory notice on 11 May 2022 for a breach of the then Home Standard.^[9] That engagement concluded with the graded judgement of 26 November 2025, which replaced the notice.^[9]

Grades change. The council says it is approaching full compliance with its safety checks, with all fire risk assessments current, and continues to work with the regulator on the areas it identified.^[1] Grades and any regulatory notices are reviewed from time to time and may change.

Whatever a landlord's track record, its legal duties are the same — and they are strong.

Repairs. Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Ealing Council 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 council tenancy and cannot be signed away in a tenancy agreement.

Fitness for human habitation. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, 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 to investigate hazards such as damp and mould and make homes safe — the disrepair page sets them out.^[10]

Ealing's own published repair timescales. The council sorts repairs by priority and publishes target times — the disrepair page lists them.^[13]

Where to report and complain. The disrepair page gives the council's repairs line and its complaints route.^[15]