Revealed: Housing Ombudsman names worst-performing landlords on noise complaints

Waltham Forest Council, which owns and manages around 10,000 homes, was found to have mishandled one noise complaint case.

PA Housing had four noise findings, of which two were deemed to be maladministration, and Optivo had eight findings, of which four were deemed maladministrations.

The findings come as part of a wider report published today by the ombudsman, examining three years of noise-related cases brought from social landlords to the watchdog for investigation.

In 2021-22, the maladministration rate for non-statutory noise complaints was higher than average (62%) – something the report’s authors attributed to residents spending more time indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021-22, the most common type of noise report brought to the ombudsman for investigation related to “household noise”, (32 out of 52 maladministration findings) which the ombudsman defined as “everyday noise such as the closing of doors, children noise and people talking and walking about in their homes”.

Eight mishandled noise reports concerned complaints about music, followed by four reports about pets, and two complaints each relating to DIY, parties, plumbing and external noises.

Of the complaints deemed to be subject to maladministration, the ombudsman made 51 orders for residents to receive compensation. 

In an opening statement for the report, housing ombudsman Richard Blakeway, warns of “a fundamental unfairness” at the heart of the report’s findings, in that most of the complaints made concern household noise such as general movement, music or washing machine sounds, rather than anti-social behaviour (ASB). However, he said that most landlords handle these types of instances under their ASB policy.

He said he believes that this approach is unfair to the complainant and the resident being complained about, and that it makes it more difficult for the landlord to make reasonable and consistent decisions without a better framework in place for all types of noise complaints. 

More than two-thirds (76%) of landlords said that they deal with all noise reports under their ASB policies.

The report also revealed a number of inconsistencies with how complaints were said to have been addressed. While two-thirds (66%) of landlords said they have noise-monitoring equipment in their properties, only 7% of residents said they had had a noise-monitoring device fitted.

Meanwhile, 85% of landlords said they had offered mediation for noise disputes, but 29% of residents said they had been offered it.

Mr Blakeway said: “Noise costs; it costs individuals their mental health and well-being and it costs landlords in protracted and often futile interventions, multi-agency liaison and staff morale.”

Such costs are “underestimated”, but may be avoidable through measures recommended in the report, he added.

The report puts forward a number of recommendations, including a call by the watchdog for the Decent Homes Standard to be revised “to fully reflect the causes that can result in residents experiencing noise nuisance”.

Other recommendations include an update to standards to ensure that anti-vibration mats are put under washing machines and that carpets are used in social homes, removing hardwood flooring where necessary.

Landlords should also adopt proactive neighbourhood management policies that are distinct from anti-social behaviour policies to ensure that complaints do not get mishandled, the report said.

It was also recommended that “a triage methodology” is adopted “to identify if a noise report should be handled under the ASB policy or the neighbourhood management policy, and reviewing ASB policies to ensure they are realistic and practicable”.

The national and local lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in reports during 2020 and 2021, the report’s authors said. This was likely caused by people staying in their homes for longer periods of time when they may previously have been out and about. 

“We recognise that landlords are under increasing financial pressure and the role of sound insulation should be considered as part of wider strategies,” Mr Blakeway said. “Few of our recommendations present a significant cost. Rather, our practical recommendations could be cost effective, as well as providing better outcomes.

“Landlords should consider the extent to which they can adopt them and what meaning this will bring for their residents.”

All of the landlords named in this article have been approached for comment.