Improving redress for housing disrepair: TDS Charitable Foundation gives evidence to Government

The TDS Charitable Foundation has submitted evidence to the Government’s recent call for evidence on housing disrepair claims. Our submission highlights a critical but often overlooked issue in the private rented sector: too few tenants know where to turn when their housing issues aren’t resolved.

Drawing on findings from our latest Voice of the Tenant survey, we set out practical, achievable recommendations to improve awareness of redress routes and strengthen access to justice for renters.

What our evidence shows

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of tenants reported experiencing one or more problems with the condition of their rented home in the previous six months.

Encouragingly, most tenants take action when issues arise:

• 88% said they had informed their landlord or letting agent about repair and maintenance problems.

• In 85% of cases, the issue was fully or partly addressed.

This suggests that early-stage resolution is working reasonably well. However, where problems remain unresolved, confidence and momentum drop sharply.

• Only 18% of tenants escalated their complaint to a local authority or a redress scheme such as The Property Ombudsman, The Property Redress Scheme, or Trading Standards.

• Of those who did escalate, just 19% said their issue was fully addressed.

These figures have remained largely unchanged over the past two years.

The problem isn’t apathy – it’s awareness

When private renters in our survey were asked whether they would know where to go if their landlord or agent failed to resolve an issue, 41% said they would not know where to seek help.

Our report on barriers to resolving housing issues shows tenants are not disengaged. Quite the opposite:

• 75% of private renters and 84% of social housing tenants want more information to help them raise complaints and resolve housing issues.

• 69% of private renters and 57% of social renters said they would use a dedicated website to help resolve housing problems.

The demand for clear, accessible, timely guidance is evident.

At present, the system relies heavily on the ‘How to Rent’ guide issued at the start of a tenancy. Yet this 19-page document cannot be expected to serve as a long-term navigational tool. Only 39% of tenants recall receiving it. Even when provided, it is unrealistic to assume tenants will retain or revisit a lengthy document months or years later when a crisis arises.

Our recommendations for improvement

1. Treat awareness as a core policy priority

Improving tenant awareness of alternatives to court – including formal redress schemes and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services such as the TDS Tenancy Redress Service – must be treated as a core policy objective, not a secondary consideration.

Access to justice begins with knowing where to go. Without that knowledge, even well-designed redress mechanisms will remain underused.

2. Provide timely and repeatable signposting

Tenants need simple, accessible prompts at the point of need – not just at the start of a tenancy. Signposting should be embedded across multiple trusted channels and repeated at key moments.

This could include integration into the planned Private Rented Sector Database and other Government-backed digital touchpoints, ensuring tenants are guided towards appropriate redress and ADR options when problems arise.

To help address this gap, the TDS Charitable Foundation has funded the development of the My Housing Issue Gateway, supported by JUSTICE. The Gateway is an interactive signposting and diagnostic tool designed to help tenants understand their rights and identify the most appropriate non-court route for resolution.

3. Embrace independently developed tools

Government does not need to start from scratch. Independent, evidence-based solutions already exist.

The My Housing Issue Gateway reflects recommendations in JUSTICE’s Solving Housing Disputes report, which called for a single, trusted signposting hub to simplify what is currently a fragmented and confusing landscape. Endorsing and embedding tools such as the My Housing Issue Gateway into Government platforms would be a practical and cost-effective way to strengthen redress.

Conclusion

Our evidence shows that tenants want to resolve problems early but too many lack the clarity and confidence to navigate the system.

By prioritising awareness, strengthening signposting, and embracing independently developed tools that already exist, the Government can make meaningful progress towards a more efficient, accessible and fair system for resolving housing disputes.