Learning from complaints

September to December 2025

We regularly review complaints to understand what’s working well and where we need to improve.

Complaints continue to highlight that we need to make sure we keep you informed clearly and consistently, do what we say we will on time, track our performance and learn from issues.

Fewer complaints about grounds maintenance

We’re pleased to have seen a positive drop in complaints about grounds maintenance!

Complaints about things like grass cutting and keeping your neighbourhoods clean and tidy made up just 3.3% of initial complaints, down from 8% in the same period last year, well below the peak of around 20% in 2023/24.

We recently carried out a review of our grounds maintenance service to find out what was going well and what we needed to improve. We’re making our service better – improving how we monitor the standard and consistency of our contractors’ work, refining our processes, how we keep you updated and the quality of our record keeping.

You can check your area’s grounds maintenance schedule here.

Is something not right with your grounds maintenance service? Report issues to us here!

Damp and mould

We take reports of damp and mould really seriously. We’re pleased that during September to December, only 2.6% of complaints reviewed at our second stage (a more in-depth review after our first response) were about damp and mould.

Since October 2025, we’ve updated our processes to meet the Hazards in Social Housing Regulations (Awaab’s Law). We’ve been working hard to communicate more clearly with customers and to address new reports of damp and mould more quickly – especially when customers may be vulnerable.

We’ve also improved how we record and track these complaints by updating our systems and adding a dedicated category for damp and mould. This helps us monitor issues more accurately and respond more effectively.

Making information clearer for homeowners

Our Customer Complaints Learning Panel (CCLP) reviewed feedback from leaseholders and shared owners on making information and responsibilities clearer and easier to find.

You can find out more about the CCLP here.

From this review, we introduced new easy-to-read handbooks that explain charges and responsibilities. These are now available on our website!

Check out our guides (scroll down)

The Panel found that some customers felt unclear about their responsibilities when they first moved into their home. We’re now improving how we explain this at the start of tenancies.

Improving shared ownership information

Through the review, the Panel learned that shared ownership customers felt unclear about how much of their home they could buy. We’re currently reviewing these agreements to make sure all customers clearly understand their rights and options.

Repairs

Delays to repairs remain one of the main reasons you contact us. We’ve been tracking calls we get about late appointments, to help us identify why repeat delays happen and make sure that our contractors are delivering the services you expect.

One of our contractors has started using a “dynamic scheduler” that automatically reroutes operatives to cover each other’s work when there are potential delays. It’ll take a little time to bed in, but we’re excited to see the results and service improvements it will bring. We'll keep you updated!

Using better data to improve services

We’re improving how we record and track complaints so we can better understand the root causes (the reasons behind issues), helping us to resolve issues sooner and with less disruption for you.

If you’d like to help us improve our services, why not consider getting involved?

We have many different engagement opportunities available – from the CCLP, to our Scrutiny panel, to surveys. You don’t need any special skills, just an interest in helping make things better!

Find out more about getting involved.

Making a complaint

If something has gone wrong, and we haven’t been able to put it right, get in touch.

You can make a complaint by:

  • Completing the form on our website here
  • Emailing us at customers@stonewater.org
  • Calling us at 01202 319 119
  • Writing to us at: Stonewater, Suite C, Lancaster House, Grange Business Park, Enderby Road, Whetstone, Leicester, LE86EP
  • By sending us a private message on Facebook