Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report 2024-25
On behalf of the Fairhive Board, I am pleased to present our Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report for 2024/25, alongside our Self-Assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
This year’s report reflects a continued commitment to transparency, accountability, and learning. It provides a comprehensive overview of the complaints and compliments received, the themes identified, and the actions taken to improve our services. The insights gained from this data are vital in helping us understand where we are meeting expectations—and where we must do better.
We are encouraged by the 34% increase in formal compliments received this year, particularly for our Planned and Repairs teams. This, alongside an upward trend in Tenant Satisfaction Measures, demonstrates the positive impact of our service delivery improvements.
At the same time, we acknowledge the challenges faced in responding to complaints within target timescales, largely due to increased volumes and staffing pressures. The appointment of a dedicated Complaints Co-ordinator is a key step forward, and we are confident this will lead to improved performance and resident experience in the coming year.
The Self-Assessment confirms our compliance with the statutory Complaint Handling Code, and we have updated our policies and procedures accordingly—including the integration of the Compensation Policy and clearer guidance on service charge exclusions.
The Board remains committed to ensuring that complaints are handled fairly, promptly, and with empathy. We are grateful for the continued scrutiny and support of our Resident Complaints Group, whose feedback has directly shaped our approach and improvements.
We also recognise the important role of our Member Responsible for Complaints, Kelly Webster, and our senior lead, Dean Gill, in maintaining oversight and driving accountability.
We look forward to building on the progress made this year and continuing to listen, learn, and improve in partnership with our residents.
Stephen Stringer, Chair of the Board
Take a look at our annual complaints report below. Our Self-Assessment - 2025[pdf] 370KB was completed in April this year.
Compliments 2024-25
We’re pleased to share that Fairhive received a significantly higher number of formal compliments in 2024/25 compared to the previous year—an increase of 34%. This reflects the continued dedication of our teams and aligns with the positive upward trend seen across the majority of our Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs).
| 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
| Number of compliments received | 421 | 457 | 335 | 449 |
Formal compliments are unsolicited messages of appreciation from residents, not collected through surveys. They are a meaningful way for us to understand where we’re making a real difference.
In 2024/25, the Planned Team, who deliver internal upgrades such as new kitchens and bathrooms, received the highest number of compliments—165, accounting for 37% of the total. The Repairs Team followed with 80 compliments (18%), and the Development Team received 35.
Every compliment is shared with the individual and their line manager to recognise and celebrate excellent service. We’re proud of the teams for their continued commitment to improving resident experience.
The Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report
An analysis of the Tenant Satisfaction Measure for complaints of 47.97%, indicated that the majority of residents, who indicate dissatisfaction, do not have a formal complaint logged with us, and it appears that a negative experience with the service area can skew their view of the complaints handling process.
The volume of complaints has more than doubled since the Ombudsman released the Complaint Handling Code in 2020. An increase of 15% is seen when comparing to the previous year from 533 in 2023/24 to 614 in 2024/25, and by 129% when compared to 2021/2022.
| 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
| Number of complaints received | 268 | 331 | 533 | 614 |
As expected, and previously noted, the number of complaints continues to increase year on year, however the numbers represent a small percentage of our contact points with customers (around 1%).
44 complaints were escalated to Stage 2 in the year. Stage 2 is when a resident escalates their complaint to the next stage in our process because they remain unhappy with the outcome and solution offered. A different and more senior manager then reviews the complaint and the outcome.
We have two stages – the complaint enters stage one when the resident logs it with us, we acknowledge within 5 days and we aim to send a response within 10 working days.
614 complaints were received directly from residents, a further 60 enquiries/complaints were received via MPs and Councillors. These complaints are responded to in line with the complaints procedure with an additional step to provide an update to the MP office.
We had fourteen live Ombudsman cases during the year, some of which carried over from the previous year. We had 3 determinations of maladministration for our handling of: pest infestation, ASB and repairs. One case was closed as it fell outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. Five cases are under assessment following conclusion of our internal process, three have been accepted as valid cases and are awaiting investigation and the remaining two cases are currently undergoing the Ombudsman investigation process.
Our performance on complaints responded to within timescale has decreased from our result in 2023/24, of 82.42%, to 58.79% in 2024/25 and significantly below our target of 90%. This was as a result of staffing pressures felt in the service teams and the challenges of balancing higher workloads alongside handling complaints. We now have a Complaints Co-ordinator in post to strengthen the complaints process, and we expect to see improvement in the next financial year. Responsive repairs had the highest number of complaints (145) followed by Tenancy services (72).
Complaints by team - 2024-25
| Repairs | 161 |
| Tenancy Services/Estates | 126 |
| Surveying/Contracts | 71 |
| Planned | 62 |
| Contact Centre | 40 |
| Income/Leasehold | 38 |
| Heating | 34 |
| Voids | 19 |
| Development | 18 |
| Electrical | 18 |
| Lettings | 9 |
| Independent Living | 7 |
| Fleet | 4 |
| Property Data | 3 |
| Communications | 2 |
| Finance | 2 |
Responsive repairs and Tenancy Services/Estates continue to receive the highest number of complaints due to both the large number of resident contacts, and the nature of their work. As expected a spike was seen in the cases of damp and mould complaints during the colder season and a revised focus in this area has assisted in promptly dealing with these cases.
Complaint Themes
There were four key themes across the complaints received, which align with the areas of focus highlighted from customer feedback:
| Service Provision | 40% |
| Communication | 26% |
| Quality of Work | 24% |
| Damp & Mould | 10% |
Service Provision:
We are taking steps to improve service provision by addressing issues such as repeated inspections, temporary fixes, and slow response times. The introduction of a dedicated Property Inspector role helps separate inspections from repair work, enabling operatives to complete more jobs on the first visit. To reduce delays, planners now receive detailed reports to better assess follow-on work needs and keep residents informed. We are also advising residents of expected timescales at the point of contact. Additionally, we acknowledge the impact of wet weather on grounds maintenance earlier in the season and will continue to monitor the contractor’s performance to ensure service standards are met.
Communication:
We are working to improve communication with residents by addressing issues such as delayed updates, appointment changes, and inconsistent information. Key actions include exploring AI solutions for automatic updates, ensuring residents are contacted about appointment changes, and improving coordination between Fairhive, contractors, and residents during works. We are also enhancing guidance on using systems like heating, notifying adjoining households ahead of major works, and confirming completion of external works through calls or cards. Regular refresher training for frontline staff will reinforce best practices and ensure consistent, clear communication with residents.
Quality of works:
We are committed to improving the quality of works delivered to residents by addressing concerns such as property damage, faulty parts, poor workmanship, and incomplete jobs. Fairhive takes responsibility for any damage caused directly by our operatives, and we encourage residents to have contents insurance for accidental incidents. To raise standards, we are ensuring all operatives receive appropriate training and increasing the number of post-inspections to identify and address issues early. These steps aim to reduce repeat visits, improve the standard of repairs, and ensure jobs are completed thoroughly and to a high standard.
Damp & Mould:
To address cases where issues remain unresolved despite repeated visits, we have introduced a revised damp and mould process supported by a dedicated inspection resource. This allows us to respond more quickly and effectively to reported cases, ensuring timely action and reducing the need for multiple follow-ups.
Responding to your complaints
Delays in response times during the year, caused by staff shortages/changes and increased workloads has adversely affected the overall end of year performance result. Where possible, resident expectations were managed within formal response times and updates were provided via phone or email. Written response delays occurred mainly in the property area which received the highest volume of complaints.
Improved response times will remain a key area of focus and we have appointed a dedicated Complaints Coordinator for the management of complaints to not only enhance the complainants experience as they go through the process with a single point of contact, but also in meeting the expected timescales.
| % of complaints responded to on target | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | 2024/25 Full year | 2023/24 Full year | 2022/23 Full year |
| On time 2024/25 |
59% (83/140) |
61% (163/268) |
55% (230/415) |
59% (361/614) |
82% (272/330) |
86% (265/307) |
| Late 2024/25 |
41% (57/140) |
39% (105/268) |
45% (185/415) |
41% (253/614) |
18% (58/330) |
14% (42/307) |
Improvement opportunities identified during complaint investigations includes:
| Root cause | Themes | Learnings identified and actions taken |
| Communication |
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| Service provision |
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| Poor quality of works |
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| Behaviours |
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In-year changes to policy and procedure
The Ombudsman's Complaints Handling Code has a requirement for the governing body to have a lead member for complaints called the Member Responsible for Complaints (MRC). This title will now replace our ‘Board Champion’ title, which Kelly Webster fulfils.
A number of changes to the Compliments & Complaints Policy (now called the Compliments, Complaints & Compensation Policy), along with revisions to the accompanying procedure has been made, and were reviewed and approved at Board in May 2025 to bring Fairhive fully aligned to all requirements of the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaints Handing Code. These include:
- Exclusions: Challenges to the service charges will not be dealt with via our Complaints Policy. Leaseholders and tenants have the statutory right to challenge our service charge in the First Tier Property Tribunal.
- Formal response: to reflect the timescale of 10 days following acknowledgement of the complaint.
If you have any questions about this report or would like to receive it in another format please contact us at hello@fairhive.co.uk.
