Peabody

Housing association operating mainly in London. Products & services: Social housing, Repairs.

Updated: 3 August 2026

Company Overview

Industry: Social housing (housing association)
Parent company: Peabody group (Catalyst Housing merged in 2022)
Regulator: Regulator of Social Housing (RSH)
Ombudsman: Housing Ombudsman Service
Customers: Around 220,000 residents
Founded: 1862
Legal entity: Peabody Trust (FCA society no. 7741; RSH no. 4878)

What customers complain about

Residents complaining to Peabody most often raise repairs delays, damp and mould, poor communication and slow complaint handling. The Housing Ombudsman made 34 severe maladministration findings against Peabody in 2024-25, with an overall maladministration rate of 69% across 229 determinations. High-profile cases have involved months-long repair delays, families left in cold, damp and mouldy homes, and adaptations for disabled residents not being delivered. Complaints follow a two-stage internal process (Stage 1, then a Stage 2 review by an independent Customer Experience team) under the statutory Complaint Handling Code, before escalation to the free, binding Housing Ombudsman Service. Peabody currently holds a C2 consumer grade from the Regulator of Social Housing, indicating identified weaknesses that need improvement.

Complaint categories

1
Repairs delays
Slow and repeated repairs, cancelled appointments and works that miss Peabody's own timeliness targets are the most common source of complaints and Ombudsman findings.
The RSH's 2026 judgement noted 'more work is required for the repairs service to meet Peabody's own targets on timeliness, including on emergency and priority repairs'. A 2024 Ombudsman case found a 14-month roof repair followed by a further 12 months to fit insulation.
2
Damp and mould
Residents report prolonged exposure to damp, mould and cold, with belongings damaged and, in some cases, lengthy decants (temporary rehousing).
An independent review Peabody was ordered to commission found 180 residents decanted for damp and mould since February 2021, six for over 300 days (Housing Ombudsman, August 2024).
3
Complaint handling
Delays in acknowledging, escalating and responding to complaints, and failures to put things right, feature repeatedly in Ombudsman determinations.
In a March 2024 case the Ombudsman found Peabody's formal response to reports about cladding came 211 working days later.
4
Adaptations for disabled residents
Delays and poor coordination of home adaptations have left vulnerable residents without works they need.
A March 2024 severe maladministration finding involved adaptation works for a resident's severely disabled daughter never being delivered, forcing her to be carried up and down stairs.

Latest statistics

229Ombudsman determinations2024-25

Figures from the Housing Ombudsman Service Annual Complaints Review 2024-25 (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025), which publishes per-landlord data. The maladministration rate combines findings of severe maladministration, maladministration and service failure as a percentage of total findings. These are Ombudsman determination outcomes, not the total volume of complaints Peabody receives.

Contact methods

Peabody complaints / feedback0300 123 3456
Peabody registered office (post)
Housing Ombudsman Service0300 111 3000

Complaint journey

1
Report the problem to Peabody
Log the issue first so Peabody has a chance to fix it.
Typical responseVaries
What happens
Contact Peabody about the underlying issue (for example a repair, damp or mould, or a service problem) by phone on 0300 123 3456, by email to feedback@peabody.org.uk, through the online form or the resident app. Keep a note of dates, who you spoke to and any job or reference numbers. Many issues are resolved at this early 'resolution' stage without a formal complaint.
2
Make a Stage 1 formal complaint
Ask Peabody to log a formal complaint under Stage 1.
Typical response10 working days
What happens
If the issue is not put right, ask Peabody to raise a formal Stage 1 complaint. Under the statutory Complaint Handling Code, Peabody aims to acknowledge within 5 working days (giving a case reference and named handler) and to respond within 10 working days, setting out what it will do to put things right. Complex cases may take a further 10 working days, and Peabody should tell you if so.
3
Escalate to a Stage 2 review
Request an independent internal review if you are still unhappy.
Typical response20 working days
What happens
If you are not satisfied with the Stage 1 outcome, ask for the complaint to be escalated to Stage 2, where it is reviewed by Peabody's independent Customer Experience team. Under the Complaint Handling Code the Stage 2 response is normally issued within 20 working days. This is Peabody's final response and completes its internal process.
4
Refer to the Housing Ombudsman
Take an unresolved complaint to the free, binding Housing Ombudsman.
Typical responseBinding decision
What happens
Once you have Peabody's final (Stage 2) response, or if it fails to respond within the Code's timescales, you can refer the complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service. It is free, independent and its decisions are binding on Peabody. You can also contact the Ombudsman at any stage for advice. The Regulator of Social Housing, by contrast, sets gradings and enforces standards but does not resolve individual disputes.

Response times

Under the statutory Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code (in force from April 2024), Peabody aims to acknowledge a Stage 1 complaint within 5 working days and issue a Stage 1 response within 10 working days, with a possible extension of up to a further 10 working days for complex cases. A Stage 2 review is normally completed within 20 working days. Emergency repairs and safety issues carry their own service timescales separate from the complaints process; the Regulator of Social Housing has noted Peabody needs to improve timeliness on emergency and priority repairs.

If your complaint isn’t resolved

If Peabody can’t put things right, you can escalate — free of charge — to an independent body:

Housing Ombudsman ServiceSocial landlords
The Property OmbudsmanLetting & estate agents

Recent news

29 April 2026
The Regulator of Social Housing confirmed Peabody Trust's grades as C2 (consumer), G1 (governance) and V2 (viability) — the first consumer grade issued for the landlord.
Read more
23 September 2025
The Housing Ombudsman's Annual Complaints Review 2024-25 recorded 34 severe maladministration findings against Peabody, a 69% maladministration rate and 229 determinations.
Read more
29 August 2024
An independent review Peabody was ordered to commission found 180 residents had been decanted for damp and mould since February 2021, six for over 300 days, and made 31 recommendations.
Read more

Earlier cases

5 March 2024
Historic: the Housing Ombudsman made four severe maladministration findings against Peabody in four cases involving complaint handling (a 211-working-day delay on cladding), a roof and insulation repair leaving a family in damp and mould for two years (£3,768 compensation), undelivered adaptations for a disabled child, and a long-running leak with the home in a 'very dangerous state' (£5,053 compensation).
Read more
5 October 2023
Historic: the Housing Ombudsman made three counts of severe maladministration against Peabody, including over long-running anti-social behaviour failings.
Read more

Know your rights

Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 11
Places a repairing obligation on Peabody to keep the structure and exterior of the home, and installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation and heating, in repair and proper working order. This is general information, not legal advice.
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
Requires rented homes to be fit for human habitation at the start of and throughout the tenancy; residents can take legal action if serious hazards such as damp and mould make a home unfit. This is general information, not legal advice.
Awaab's Law (under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023)
Introduces fixed timescales for social landlords such as Peabody to investigate and fix dangerous hazards, with the first requirements focused on damp and mould. Check the current in-force position, as the requirements are being phased in. This is general information, not legal advice.
Decent Homes Standard
Sets the minimum condition social homes should meet; failing to meet it can support a repairs or disrepair complaint. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

How do I complain to Peabody?

Contact Peabody on 0300 123 3456, email feedback@peabody.org.uk, use the online complaints form, or write to Peabody at 45 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7JB. Ask for a formal Stage 1 complaint if the issue is not resolved informally.

How long does Peabody take to respond to a complaint?

Under the statutory Complaint Handling Code, Peabody aims to acknowledge a Stage 1 complaint within 5 working days and respond within 10 working days (up to a further 10 for complex cases). A Stage 2 review is normally completed within 20 working days.

Who resolves a complaint if Peabody cannot?

The Housing Ombudsman Service — a free, independent body whose decisions are binding on Peabody. You can refer your case once you have Peabody's final Stage 2 response, or contact the Ombudsman for advice at any time.

Is the Regulator of Social Housing the same as the Housing Ombudsman?

No. The Regulator of Social Housing grades landlords and enforces standards (it currently gives Peabody a C2 consumer grade) but does not resolve individual disputes. The Housing Ombudsman handles individual complaints.

How often is Peabody found at fault by the Ombudsman?

In 2024-25 the Housing Ombudsman made 34 severe maladministration findings against Peabody and recorded a 69% maladministration rate across 229 determinations, with repairs and damp and mould among the most common issues.

What people are saying

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