The UK government has launched a new advertising campaign, titled “Make Things Right,” aimed at empowering residents in social housing to report issues and make complaints to improve housing conditions. The £2 million campaign will include ads on social media, radio, and online search platforms to inform social housing tenants about their rights and encourage them to take action.
The campaign builds on previous efforts to improve housing conditions, including the implementation of Awaab’s Law. Housing Secretary Michael Gove is urging tenants to put pressure on failing landlords to improve their living conditions. The campaign aims to inform tenants of their rights and provide them with the necessary information to escalate complaints to the Housing Ombudsman if their concerns are not addressed promptly and appropriately.
Last year, 10% of social homes failed to meet the Decent Homes Standard, highlighting the urgent need for landlords to provide safe and decent housing for their residents. The government’s campaign seeks to hold landlords accountable for their actions and ensure that they take action when complaints are made.
The Housing Secretary emphasised the importance of the campaign, stating that social landlords who repeatedly fail their residents must be held accountable. He highlighted the success of previous campaigns and stressed the need for residents to know their rights and stand up to bad landlords.
Social housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa echoed these sentiments, urging tenants to report issues to their landlords and escalate complaints to the Housing Ombudsman if necessary.
As part of the government’s mission to improve the quality of social housing, the Housing Secretary has been naming and shaming landlords who have neglected their responsibilities. The Social Housing Regulation Act, which has received Royal Assent, will introduce new powers for unlimited fines and emergency repairs that landlords will have to pay for.
The reforms are particularly significant following the tragic death of 2-year-old Awaab Ishak. The government aims to ensure that landlords are held accountable when they fail their tenants. The reforms will provide residents with a better understanding of their rights and establish strict time limits for addressing hazards such as damp and mould.
The campaign aims to make it easier for residents to raise complaints directly with the Housing Ombudsman, removing the requirement to write to an MP or local councillor first.
Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, emphasised the importance of effective complaint handling and encouraged landlords to have accessible complaint processes. He assured residents that the Housing Ombudsman is free, independent, and impartial, providing assistance in resolving complaints between residents and landlords.
The “Make Things Right” campaign will run across England until March 31, 2024. It will include social media and online search ads, as well as radio ads in various languages. The campaign website, socialhousingcomplaints.campaign.gov.uk, will provide tenants with step-by-step advice on how to make a complaint. A communications toolkit has also been created for landlords and partners to support the campaign.
The government hopes that the campaign will empower social housing residents to take action and improve their living conditions, ensuring that all tenants have safe and decent homes.
