Guides › Rent and Deposits › Social Landlord Complaint: Stages and Time Limits
Social Landlord Complaint: Stages and Time Limits
Report the problem as a service request first. If you are unhappy, make a formal complaint. The landlord should acknowledge within 5 working days and respond at stage 1 within 10 working days, and at stage 2 within 20 working days. You can refer to the Housing Ombudsman within 12 months of the stage 2 response, which is the final response.
At A Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Complaint Stages
Process
Report the issue to your landlord as a service request, which is not yet a complaint. Then make a formal complaint under the landlord's procedure. Stage 1: acknowledge within 5 working days and respond in writing within 10 working days of acknowledgment. Stage 2: acknowledge within 5 working days and respond in writing within 20 working days of acknowledgment. This is the final response. source
Referral
Refer to the Ombudsman after the stage 2 response, within 12 months of that response. Later referrals are unlikely to be investigated unless there is a good reason. If your landlord does not respond, you can still contact the Ombudsman, but it needs the landlord's stage 2 response before it can help. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 12 monthsTo refer to the Housing OmbudsmanFrom the stage 2 response
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Report the problem and keep proof of the date.
Step 2 of 5
Complain in writing under the landlord's procedure.
Step 3 of 5
Diary the 10 and 20 working day deadlines.
Step 4 of 5
If there is no reply, send a reminder and note it.
Step 5 of 5
After stage 2, refer to the Housing Ombudsman within 12 months.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Your Landlord's Complaints Team
Stages 1 and 2.
Housing Ombudsman Service
Free. After the landlord's final (stage 2) response.
Shelter England
Free advice on deposit claims and eviction notices.
Citizens Advice
Free advice on any renting problem.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
The Ombudsman can order repairs, compensation, an apology and service improvements.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different housing rules.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 14 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- housing-ombudsman.org.uk/centre-for-learning/fact-sheets/how-the-ombudsman-can-help-leaseholders-and-shared-owners Checked 14 October 2026
- housing-ombudsman.org.uk Checked 8 October 2026
- england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/check_your_tenancy_deposit_is_protected/deposit_not_protected Checked 12 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk Checked 8 October 2026