18/06/2025
The Housing Ombudsman’s “Repairing Trust” Spotlight Report dated 29 May 2025 states, in relation to the need for the maintenance of good relationships between landlords, residents and contractors:
“Our research highlights the importance of trust between all parties involved – landlords, residents, and contractors. Each have unique perspectives yet there are common desires: respect, empathy, information, safety, and mutual trust. Given this alignment, it is vital issues which can drive tension in that relationship are identified and addressed: whether a failure to recognise the circumstances of the resident, inadequate knowledge and information management, poor communication, or a breakdown in the landlord-contractor relationship.”
It is telling that, as regards the relationship between landlords and contractors, statistics indicates that only 60% of landlords currently operate an Operative’s Code of Conduct. The Ombudsman is clear that “…there should be a code of conduct that operatives are expected to follow…”. Codes of Conduct can specify how contractors should conduct themselves inside homes, for example “…prohibiting unnecessary noise, use of facilities without the occupant’s permission, leaving the property clean and tidy and so on…”, and also provide contractors with guidance on how to approach and deal with tenants (including properly communicating arrangements for appointments, not “cold calling” residents and ensuring that they are able to verify their identity to tenants).
It is also recommended that Codes of Conduct are published by landlords on their websites.
A common theme of the Report is that communication, as between landlords, contractors and residents, is key to building and maintaining trust with residents and ensuring an efficient repairs service.
For communication between landlords and contractors to be effective, landlords must first ensure that their data as to the status both of the property and its household is comprehensive and up-to-date. Information which is incorrect or out of date will inevitably impact negatively on the relationships between landlords, their tenants and contractors. Ultimately, landlords should be aware of who lives in their properties and any additional support or necessary adjustments that might be required, including (crucially) whether there are any issues around disability or other vulnerabilities within the household, with this information effectively communicated to contractors and anyone else who might attend the property on the landlord’s behalf. Contractors also need to be made aware of any issues or complaints around previous works so that they can be prepared for any questions that residents might have around such historic issues.
When making arrangements to visit to a resident’s home, landlords and contractors should make the purpose of the visit clear, seek residents’ views and input as to the arrangements and scope of any inspections, ensure that tenants’ personal boundaries are respected, and provide social and emotional training for staff. Landlords and contractors would also be well advised to remember that, for a resident, allowing a contractor or other representative of the landlord into their home can be fraught with emotion
In summary, trust must be established and maintained between landlords and their residents, with the onus on landlords to ensure that this is the case. Contractors, who are effectively acting as representatives of the landlords in these circumstances, should be given the necessary information about residents, the property itself and the nature of the repairs to be undertaken to ensure that this relationship of trust continues to flourish.
A full copy of the Report, including details of the recommendations in respect of how the relationships between landlords, residents and contractors can be best managed, can be found at: Spotlight report: Repairing Trust.
