Independent · not part of Orwell Housing
Orwell Housing complaints, compensation and disrepair claims
Your options if Orwell Housing hasn’t fixed a repair: claiming compensation, complaining, and what the Housing Ombudsman has found.
By Ben Miller, housing disrepair specialistChecked 9 October 2026 · How we checkRepairs and phone numbers: Orwell Housing repairs
LandlordOrwell Housing
Has Orwell Housing been told about the repair?
Yes, reported and still not fixedCheck if you can claim No, reporting it for the first timeGet Orwell’s repair contactsFree to check · About 2 minutes
You can complain to Orwell Housing, then the Housing Ombudsman, yourself for free.
Complaint or claim?
Your options if Orwell Housing hasn’t fixed it
Claim compensation
Make a disrepair claim
A law firm on our panel takes it up with Orwell for you. It asks for the repairs to be done and claims compensation, usually worked out as a share of the rent you paid while the problem wasn’t fixed.
Start your claim Free to check, and we don’t charge you. If a solicitor takes your claim on, they work on a no win, no fee basis and must explain their fee in writing before you agree to anything. See feesComplain
Complain to Orwell
This can get Orwell to look at the repair again. If you’re still unhappy, the Housing Ombudsman can order Orwell to put things right.
How to complainYou can do both: a complaint can carry on while a law firm makes your claim.
Compensation
How disrepair compensation is worked out
Courts usually award a share of the rent you paid while the problem wasn’t fixed. Three things decide how much. Orwell’s own target for a routine repair is 31 calendar days, so a repair left longer than that is already late by its own standard.
- 01
How long
From when your landlord knew about it to when it was fixed, or today.
- 02
How much of your home
One room, or the whole home.
- 03
How badly
How much it affected your daily life and your belongings.
Making a claim
Claiming against Orwell Housing
- 01You tell us what’s wrong and when you reported it. About 2 minutes.
- 02We introduce you to a law firm on our panel, with your permission.
- 03They write to Orwell Housing asking for the repairs and compensation. Under the court rules for housing conditions claims, Orwell should reply within 20 working days.
- 04If your claim succeeds, the work is done and compensation is paid to you.
Free to check, and we don’t charge you. If a solicitor takes your claim on, they work on a no win, no fee basis and must explain their fee in writing before you agree to anything. See fees
How to complain
Complaining to Orwell Housing
Orwell Housing has to follow the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
- Stage 1
Complain to Orwell
Acknowledged within 5 working days, with a resolution aimed for within 10 working days.
- Stage 2
Ask for a review
Handled by a more senior manager, aiming to resolve it within 20 working days.
- Then
Housing Ombudsman
Independent. It can order Orwell to put things right.
From orwell-housing.co.uk, checked 9 October 2026.
Complained and still waiting? You can start a claim while your complaint is going on.
Start your claimOrwell’s record
What the regulator and Ombudsman found
of Orwell tenants were satisfied with how complaints were handled in 2024/25.
of the Ombudsman’s findings about Orwell in 2024/25 were maladministration.
Sources: Orwell tenant satisfaction measures 2024/25; Housing Ombudsman landlord performance data 2024/25.
Questions
Orwell Housing complaints and claims: questions
How do I complain to Orwell Housing about repairs?
Through its complaints page: orwell-housing.co.uk. By email: info@orwell-housing.co.uk. By phone: 0345 601 0030. Say what the problem is, when you reported it, and what you want done.
How long does Orwell Housing have to reply to a complaint?
Stage 1: acknowledged within 5 working days, with a resolution aimed for within 10 working days. Stage 2: handled by a more senior manager, aiming to resolve it within 20 working days.
Can I claim compensation from Orwell Housing for damp and mould?
You could, if you reported it and Orwell didn’t fix it in a reasonable time. A law firm on our panel can take it up with Orwell for you.
Start your claimHas the Housing Ombudsman found Orwell Housing at fault?
In 2024/25 the Ombudsman found maladministration in 71% of its findings about Orwell.
Why use Report Repair?
A law firm on our panel takes your claim up with Orwell Housing: it asks for the repairs to be done and claims compensation for you, so you don’t have to deal with Orwell on your own. It’s free to check, and if your claim succeeds the law firm’s fee comes out of your compensation.
See feesNot Orwell?
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Still waiting for Orwell Housing to fix it?
About 2 minutes. No documents. Free to check.