Council changes way it apologises to tenants

The council changed its apology phrasing after being rebuked by an ombudsman report

Camden Council has changed how it apologises to social housing tenants, after a watchdog said it was shifting blame on to residents.

Last November, the housing ombudsman said the wording and tone of the apology, "We are sorry you felt the need to complain", risked appearing insincere.

Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said this "put the responsibility on residents for taking action, instead of the council".

On 15 September, the north London council confirmed it had stopped using the phrase a few months ago, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council now responds to such complaints by saying: "Thank you for your complaint dated [XXX] and for taking the time to express your concerns."

Mr Blakeway's report In November rebuked the council's "defensive" attitude towards complaints, saying: "It's easy to see why such an apology could be perceived to lack genuineness."

Housing ombudsman Richard Blakeway called the failures "inexcusable"

According to the housing ombudsman's website, landlords should ensure apologies are timely, empathetic, personal and sincere, while taking responsibility and expressing regret.

It continues: "Apologies should include the reason the apology is needed and avoid shifting the blame, or using passive, ambiguous or dismissive language."

The ombudsman's report followed a 2023 investigation which identified repeated failings by Camden Council in its social housing provision.

These included how it maintains its housing stock and the making of proper adjustments for vulnerable people.

For example, a broken lift meant a man with arthritis who relied on a service dog was repeatedly forced to climb the stairs in his council block, before the council moved him to a new permanent home.

A separate report in July 2023 by the government's social housing regulator found Camden Council caused "potential harm" to residents by failing to act on serious fire risks.

Camden Council says it expects a high number of complaints in the coming years due to ageing housing stock and a shortage of affordable homes

Officers said earlier this month that the council had made "significant improvements" by investing more in social housing since those investigations.

This includes launching a new repairs system, hiring and training more staff, and changing how it monitors jobs.

The council also claimed that resident satisfaction had improved dramatically in recent months, after falling below the London and national average at the start of the year.

However, the council expects to continue to receive a high number of complaints in the coming years, due to its ageing social housing stock.

It said this was due to chronic underinvestment and a "critical shortage" of affordable homes.