Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the average length of time was for the Housing Ombudsman Service to determine case complaints in the first three months of 2019-20; and how many complaints were dealt with within the six month target during that period.

In order to ensure that residents receive a fair and impartial service, the Housing Ombudsman carefully reviews all available evidence when investigating and determining cases within their formal remit.

Between April and June 2019-20, the Housing Ombudsman Service determined 502 cases with an average determination time of 6.8 months. The Housing Ombudsman Service does not have a specific target for the proportion of cases determined within six months. The target is an average to be achieved across the financial year reflecting that the Housing Ombudsman Service is a demand-led and the average case time will vary each month depending on the number of cases received, and the complexity of the peculiar case.