Sutton 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". The most serious failings are "severe maladministration"; lesser ones are "service failure".

Three cases in 2024-25 — read the rate beside its base. The Ombudsman's performance report for Sutton covers cases decided between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. It records 3 decided cases, which produced 10 findings.^[3] Of the 9 findings counted towards the rate (1 was outside the Ombudsman's jurisdiction), 8 were maladministration — a rate of 88.9%, from those 3 cases.^[3] That is higher than the national rate of 71%.^[3] But on so small a caseload, the rate describes those cases — not a measured pattern across a service of around 6,000 homes.^[3][4] None of the year's findings was severe maladministration, the Ombudsman's most serious.^[3]

What the 8 findings were. The 8 upheld findings were 4 of maladministration and 4 of service failure.^[3] They ranged from asbestos and electrical-safety records to complaint handling and staff conduct.^[3] Property condition — the category most disrepair complaints fall into — produced exactly one finding, at the service-failure level.^[3] No damp-and-mould sub-category appears in the year's findings.^[3]

Orders and compensation. Across the year the Ombudsman made 13 orders and, in compensation, recorded £1,200 ordered (plus £810 recommended).^[3] It also issued 1 complaint handling failure order — made when a landlord's complaint handling itself breaks down.^[3] The council complied with all 13 orders.^[3]

Damp and mould cases since the report. The report stops at March 2025. In June and July 2025 the Ombudsman published two decisions finding maladministration in the council's handling of damp and mould.^[5][6] It ordered compensation in both cases.^[5][6] Neither finding was severe maladministration.^[5][6]

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is the government body that checks social landlords meet required standards. Since 2024 it has inspected landlords, grading each from C1 (the strongest) to C4.

Sutton's grade is C1. In a judgement published on 29 October 2025, the regulator gave Sutton Council its strongest grade — the council's first under the new consumer regime.^[1] It said: "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]

“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]

— Regulator of Social Housing, London Borough of Sutton (00BF) - Regulatory Judgement: 29 October 2025 (29 October 2025)

What the judgement found. The regulator said the council complies with statutory health and safety requirements across the landlord safety areas, and put Decent Homes Standard compliance at 98.84%.^[1] It described a proactive approach to damp and mould, with a dedicated team, and said complaints are addressed fairly, promptly and effectively.^[1] It noted that the council monitors its management company, Sutton Housing Partnership, through regular oversight.^[1]

What the council has said. SHP's managing director called the grade confirmation that SHP meets the consumer standards, and a validation of staff work on safer homes and faster repairs.^[8]

No regulatory notice in force. As at the date this page was last checked, no regulatory notice — a formal published finding of a breach — is in force against Sutton.^[2] Grades are reviewed from time to time and may change.

A top grade and a high complaint rate — can both be true? Yes: they measure different things. The regulator inspected the whole housing service — around 6,000 homes — and judged it is delivering the required outcomes.^[1] The Ombudsman, by contrast, decided only a handful of Sutton cases that year, upholding most of the findings it made, none of them severe.^[3] Neither number cancels the other out. Neither changes your rights if your own home has a problem that is not being fixed.

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, Sutton Council must keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair. That covers the roof, walls, windows and doors. It must 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.

Fitness for human habitation. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, your home must also be fit to live in. That means 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]

Sutton's own repairs service — run by SHP. Day-to-day repairs are carried out by Sutton Housing Partnership on the council's behalf; the council remains your landlord.^[7] SHP sorts repairs by priority and publishes target times for each — the disrepair page sets them out, along with how the service performed against them.^[13]

If the council misses these kinds of timescales after you have reported a problem, the topic pages below explain what you can do next.