Complaints about council housing conditions across the UK have surged dramatically in recent years, with reports of damp, mould, and unsafe living conditions increasing sharply. Research shows that complaints have risen by 560% since 2020, highlighting growing concerns over the quality of public housing.
Local authorities are now on track for another record year in 2025, continuing the upward trend in tenant grievances. The increase suggests systemic issues in how council housing is managed and maintained.
Data obtained through a freedom of information request by Veritas Solicitors revealed that some of the country’s largest city councils have faced the highest levels of complaints. Cardiff recorded 2,298 complaints since 2020, the most of any council.
Manchester followed closely with 2,092 complaints, while Leicester logged 1,648 complaints over the same period. The City of Westminster reported 1,615 complaints, reflecting widespread issues in urban areas.
The scale of increase in some councils is particularly stark. Leicester experienced a 1,340% rise in complaints between 2020 and 2024, indicating that disrepair problems are intensifying at an alarming rate.
Newcastle saw the steepest overall rise in complaints, with 587 cases reported by September 2025 compared with just 51 in 2020. These figures suggest a rapid deterioration in housing conditions in certain regions.
Cardiff reported its highest single-year total in 2024, with 673 complaints. Manchester has consistently been among the worst-performing areas, averaging over 350 complaints annually for six consecutive years.
Similarly, the City of Westminster has seen consistently high complaint levels, reaching 418 in the latest year. This trend reflects mounting pressures on councils nationwide to address tenant grievances.
Housing disrepair remains a major issue for council tenants, with problems such as black mould, persistent leaks, damp, infestations, and broken heating systems becoming commonplace. Many residents report waiting months for repairs to be completed.
The rise in complaints coincides with the introduction of Awaab’s Law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died in 2020 due to mould in his home. The legislation now sets strict time limits for landlords and councils to address reported hazards.
Faraz Fazal, managing partner at Veritas Solicitors, emphasised that these figures reveal ongoing failings in how housing repairs are managed. He noted that residents frequently face dangerous living conditions, including black mould, broken boilers, leaks, and infestations.
He added that tenants have a legal right to live in safe, habitable homes, yet too many remain waiting far too long for essential repairs, highlighting the need for urgent reform.
The Housing Ombudsman’s 2024 report also underlines this problem, finding that 73% of complaints involved maladministration because landlords failed to comply with legal obligations or internal policies.
Veritas Solicitors is calling for stronger national oversight and greater transparency in council repair response times. Faraz stressed that councils must take complaints seriously, communicate clearly with residents, and ensure repairs are delivered promptly.
Without meaningful change, the crisis is expected to worsen, leaving more families exposed to unsafe and unhealthy living conditions. Urgent action is required to ensure that council homes meet legal safety standards and that tenants are no longer left waiting for essential repairs.
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