North Tyneside 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, or "service failure" for a lesser one.

The 2025/26 performance report. The Ombudsman decided 10 North Tyneside cases in 2025/26. Its rate counts service failure too: 17 of the 20 findings within its jurisdiction — 10 maladministration and 7 service failure — a rate of 85%.^[1] That compares with a national rate of 62% and 70% for landlords of a similar size and type.^[1] It made no finding of severe maladministration.^[1] The base is small, so a single case moves the rate a long way.

What the findings were about. On responsive repairs, it found failings in 6 of the 7 findings within its jurisdiction, a rate of 86% against 72% nationally. Those included all 4 findings about damp and mould, each of them maladministration.^[1] Complaint handling was the most common sub-category, with 8 findings.^[1]

Orders and compensation. The Ombudsman made 35 orders in 2025/26, and all 35 orders that fell due in the year were complied with within three months. It ordered £4,550 in compensation and recommended a further £150.^[1]

The trend. The Ombudsman's figures put the council's rate at 44% across 9 decided cases in 2023/24, and 86% across 5 in 2024/25.^[1] From October 2025 the Ombudsman examined complaint handling in every case, which it says affects how the 2025/26 rates compare with earlier years.^[6]

Recent decisions on damp. In November 2025 the Ombudsman found maladministration in how the council handled damp, mould and rats in a vulnerable tenant's home. It said the council "did not identify the resident as vulnerable or prioritise her case, even after receiving medical evidence."^[7] It ordered £1,500 in compensation and a review of the case.^[7] In January 2026 it found the council "did not complete repairs that were required to reduce damp in a timely manner" for another tenant.^[8] It also recorded that the council had met an independent damp specialist commissioned by the tenant's representative, and agreed a wider programme of works for the street.^[8]

“did not identify the resident as vulnerable or prioritise her case, even after receiving medical evidence.”^[7]

Housing Ombudsman Service, North Tyneside Council (202415425) (24 November 2025, 202415425)

“did not complete repairs that were required to reduce damp in a timely manner”^[8]

Housing Ombudsman Service, North Tyneside Council (202450538) (7 January 2026, 202450538)

The council's response. The council's annual complaints report says it reviewed its damp and mould response for Awaab's Law.^[9]

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 larger landlords in turn, giving each a consumer grade from C1 (the strongest) to C4 once it has inspected them.

No grade and no published judgement yet. The regulator has not published a consumer standards grade for North Tyneside Council. Its list of published judgements has no entry for the council, and it has issued no regulatory notice about it.^[10] This is the position as at the date this page was last checked, and may change once the regulator inspects the council.

What the council reports to the regulator. Every social landlord publishes tenant satisfaction measures each year. In its 2024/25 return, 43.2% of tenants who said they had complained were satisfied with how the complaint was handled; the council's own 2025/26 survey puts it at 38.6%.^[3][5]

What no grade means for your home. A grade is about a landlord's systems across all its homes, not the state of any one home. With or without one, your rights over damp, mould, leaks and unfixed repairs are the same.

Whatever a landlord's track record, its legal duties are the same — and they are strong. The council manages its own homes through its Housing and Property Services, and its in-house Property Services team carries out most repairs, with some done by appointed contractors.^[12] Its sheltered housing schemes are maintained under a separate private finance contract.^[14]

Repairs. Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the 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, including councils, to investigate hazards such as damp and mould and make homes safe — the disrepair page sets them out.^[15]

Published repair timescales. The council publishes target times for each repair priority, from emergencies to routine work — the disrepair page lists them.^[18]

Where to report and complain. Tenants can complain through the council's Customer First Office online form (opens in new tab); the disrepair page gives the repairs line, the complaints phone line and the council's two-stage complaints process.^[19]