Make a complaint
Our complaints process is designed to be simple, transparent, and accessible to all residents. A complaint can be made in any form and is defined as “an expression of dissatisfaction… about the standard of a service, actions or lack of action by the organisation or those acting on its behalf”.
We aim to resolve issues at the earliest opportunity, offering practical solutions where possible. When a more formal investigation is needed, we follow a structured, two stage process with clear timescales and independent review at the final stage to ensure fairness and accountability.
If you remain dissatisfied after completing our internal process, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman for an impartial, independent review. Details on how to do this are provided below and on the Housing Ombudsman website.
Making a complaint
We’re here to put things right. Tell us what happened and we’ll work with you to resolve it quickly and fairly.
We accept complaints in any of the following ways:
- By telephone on 0208 709 4300
- By letter to Gateway Housing Association, 409-413 Mile End Road, London, E3 4PB
- By completing our complaints webform.
- By visiting our Mile End Head Office, as above, where we will also accept complaints from another person on your behalf, with your permission.
- By email to complaintsandresponses@gatewayhousing.org.uk
Our Complaints Process contains two internal stages which aids us in finding a resolution to a complaint:
- Stage One
- Stage Two
Housing Ombudsman
The Housing Ombudsman Service is an independent, free, and impartial body that makes final decisions on disputes between social housing residents and their landlords, including housing associations and local authorities. All registered social housing providers must be members of the scheme, ensuring every resident has access to an external route for resolving disputes.
Residents can refer their complaint to the ombudsman if they are unhappy with their landlord’s final response. The ombudsman considers issues such as repairs, communication failures, service standards, tenancy matters, and broader complaints handling concerns. Its aim is to resolve disputes fairly, improve complaint handling, and help landlords learn from issues to prevent repeat service failures.
The ombudsman also works alongside the Regulator of Social Housing, with each organisation playing a complementary but distinct role:
- The ombudsman focuses on resolving individual tenant / landlord disputes
- The regulator focuses on whether landlords meet required consumer and governance standards for the sector broadly
- This relationship is formalised in a government factsheet outlining their respective roles and responsibilities
From 1 April 2024, the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code became statutory, strengthening expectations on landlords and helping to ensure residents receive fair, timely and effective complaint handling.
From February 2026, new enquiries must be submitted using the Housing Ombudsman's online complaint form, enabling faster and more consistent case handling.
Compensation and goodwill gesture
We strive to deliver excellent service, but if we fall short of our published standards, we will apologise and work to resolve the issue. This may include offering compensation or a goodwill gesture. Details about when these apply and how amounts are calculated are outlined in our Compensation Policy.