1.    that the Housing Complaints Policy as set out at Appendix 1 to the submitted report be approved; and

2.    that the Self-Assessment Report 2026 as set out at Appendix 2 to the submitted report be noted.

From 1 April 2024, the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code became statutory and social landlords were required by law to comply with its requirements. Approval of the Housing Complaints Policy would ensure that Torbay Council achieved best practice in complaint handling, provided a better service to tenants and demonstrated to the Housing Ombudsman that complaint handling arrangements were operating in accordance with the Code.

No alternative options were identified, as compliance with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code was a statutory requirement and the approval of an appropriate complaints policy supported the Council in meeting its legal obligations and providing an effective service to tenants.

This decision may be implemented on 28 September 2026 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

The Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code sets out the requirements that social landlords must follow when receiving, investigating and responding to complaints from tenants. Since becoming statutory on 1 April 2024, landlords have been required to demonstrate compliance with the Code and are subject to monitoring by the Housing Ombudsman.

The submitted report presented the Council's Housing Ombudsman Self-Assessment for 2026 and sought approval of a Housing Complaints Policy to strengthen governance arrangements and ensure that complaint handling processes remained consistent, transparent and accessible to tenants.

At the meeting Councillor Tyerman proposed and Councillor Cowell seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously by the Cabinet, as set out above.

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