First Choice Homes Oldham

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 findings below concern First Choice Homes Oldham Limited, the housing association this page is about.^[1]

The 2025-26 performance report. The Ombudsman's report on First Choice Homes Oldham covers 19 cases decided between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. It recorded a maladministration rate of 54.3% — 19 of 35 findings, a count that includes service failure. Four further findings were outside its jurisdiction and are not counted.^[3] The national rate was 62%, and the rate the report gives for landlords of a similar size and type was 52%.^[3]

“The number of 'Mal' findings recorded for First Choice Homes Oldham Limited is 19, which gives the Maladministration rate of 54.3% (19 / 35).”^[3]

Housing Ombudsman Service, Landlord Performance Report 2025/2026 – First Choice Homes Oldham Limited (15 September 2026)

Severity, orders and compensation. None of the findings was severe maladministration. Of the 19 findings counted, 7 were maladministration and 12 were service failure.^[3] The Ombudsman made 40 orders and 19 recommendations, and its report shows £4,100 in compensation ordered or recommended. First Choice Homes Oldham complied with every order due in the year within three months.^[3]

What the cases were about. Complaint handling was the most common sub-category. In managing relations, the category that includes it, the Ombudsman found failings in 75% of 12 findings, against 57% nationally. On repairs it was 36% of 11 findings, against 72%.^[3]

Earlier years. The same report gives First Choice Homes Oldham's rate as 45% across 6 cases in 2023-24, and 69% across 11 cases in 2024-25.^[3] The Ombudsman says that from October 2025 it examined complaint handling in every case, which affects how rates compare with earlier years.^[7]

In individual cases. In June 2026 the Ombudsman found maladministration in how First Choice Homes Oldham handled a tenant's reports of damp and mould. It ordered an apology and compensation, and told the landlord to pass on its insurer's details for her damaged belongings, or deal with the claim itself.^[8] In December 2025 it found maladministration over safety issues at a family's home, including asbestos and stagnant water under the property. It ordered compensation and a surveyor's inspection.^[9]

“Maladministration in the landlord’s handling of the resident’s reports of damp and mould.”^[8]

Housing Ombudsman Service, First Choice Homes Oldham Limited (202537431) (8 June 2026, 202537431)

“Maladministration in the landlord’s handling of safety issues which include asbestos and stagnant water under the property.”^[9]

Housing Ombudsman Service, First Choice Homes Oldham Limited (202514515) (18 December 2025, 202514515)

What First Choice Homes Oldham reports. Its own complaints report records 1,185 complaints in 2025-26, up from 1,052, with repairs the largest source.^[10]

First Choice Homes Oldham's response. Its board says it expects stronger first-stage resolution, fewer avoidable escalations and better follow-through of agreed actions in 2026-27.^[11]

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is the government body that checks social landlords meet required standards. It grades consumer standards — the homes and services tenants get — from C1 (the strongest) to C4. It separately grades governance (G1 to G4) and financial viability (V1 to V4).

First Choice Homes Oldham's consumer grade is C2. The regulator set it after an inspection completed in September 2026, the first time it has graded First Choice Homes Oldham on consumer standards. In its judgement of 30 September 2026 it said: "Our judgement is that there are some weaknesses in the landlord delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and improvement is needed."^[1]

“Our judgement is that there are some weaknesses in the landlord delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and improvement is needed.”^[1]

Regulator of Social Housing (GOV.UK), First Choice Homes Oldham Limited (4582) - Regulatory Judgement: 30 September 2026 (30 September 2026)

Where it found weaknesses. The regulator named three standards: Safety and Quality, Neighbourhood and Community, and Transparency, Influence and Accountability. It said the board needs more assurance on its anti-social behaviour service, and that First Choice Homes Oldham is still improving what it tells tenants about its performance.^[1] On damp, mould and other hazards it said: "We saw evidence of effective processes for identifying and managing damp and mould with timely investigations of reported cases. However, some hazards are not being rectified within the required timescales and improvements are needed in this area."^[1]

“We saw evidence of effective processes for identifying and managing damp and mould with timely investigations of reported cases. However, some hazards are not being rectified within the required timescales and improvements are needed in this area.”^[1]

Regulator of Social Housing (GOV.UK), First Choice Homes Oldham Limited (4582) - Regulatory Judgement: 30 September 2026 (30 September 2026)

Repairs. The regulator found that emergency response times perform well, and that a targeted strategy is improving response times for routine repairs. It said the board's reporting on repairs needs to give more assurance on quality and cover communal areas.^[1]

Fire safety. In April 2026 First Choice Homes Oldham told the regulator that some high and medium risk actions from fire risk assessments in low-rise blocks of flats had not been completed on time. The regulator said the causes were not systemic and that risks to tenants were being managed.^[1]

Where the regulator found strengths. It found high compliance with landlord health and safety duties and an accurate, up-to-date record of the condition of homes. It also found fair allocations and a timely complaints service.^[1]

Governance and viability. The regulator kept governance at G1: "Our judgement is that the landlord meets our governance requirements."^[1] It kept viability at V1, the strongest grade, describing a strong financial profile.^[1]

“Our judgement is that the landlord meets our governance requirements.”^[1]

Regulator of Social Housing (GOV.UK), First Choice Homes Oldham Limited (4582) - Regulatory Judgement: 30 September 2026 (30 September 2026)

No regulatory notice. There is no regulatory notice — a formal published finding of a breach — in force against First Choice Homes Oldham; the regulator's page lists only its judgement.^[2]

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, First Choice Homes Oldham must keep the structure and exterior of a rented home in repair — the roof, walls, windows and doors — and keep the installations for heating, hot water, gas, electricity, water and sanitation in proper working order. This 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), a rented home must also be fit to live in — free from serious hazards, including damp and mould that could harm 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.^[12]

Safety and the condition of homes. The regulator's Safety and Quality Standard covers the safety and condition of tenants' homes.^[1]

First Choice Homes Oldham's own repair timescales. It sorts repairs into priorities, each with a published target time, which the disrepair page lists.^[15]

Where to report and complain. Report a repair online through its My Account service or by phone, and complain through its two-stage process online, by email, by phone, by post or in person.^[16][17]