The Housing Ombudsman has used its latest learning report to warn landlords against treating window disrepair as a low-priority maintenance issue, especially where it may be linked to damp, mould or excess cold.
The report, published on 28 May 2026, focuses on severe maladministration findings involving windows. The Ombudsman says 9% of its findings relating to windows in 2025-26 resulted in severe maladministration, compared with a usual level of around 2%.
For landlords, the point is not that every faulty window will become an Ombudsman case. It is that windows can sit at the centre of several property condition risks at once: water ingress, poor ventilation, heat loss, draughts, condensation, security concerns and delayed major works. When those risks are handled separately, tenants can be left living with the same practical problem for too long.
Why windows are more than a cosmetic repair
A window complaint may start with a sticking frame, failed seal, damaged unit or draught. But the consequences can spread quickly. A defective window can contribute to cold rooms, condensation, recurring damp, mould growth or a tenant being unable to ventilate properly. In some homes, the same issue may also affect security or restrict how a resident can use a room.
The Ombudsman’s message is that repairs should not be assessed in isolation. A landlord dealing with a window defect should consider whether there are connected hazards, whether previous repairs have failed, whether temporary measures are enough, and whether a wider inspection is needed.
That closely overlaps with the practical lessons from other property condition updates. Landlords who have recently reviewed damp and mould processes may find it useful to revisit our earlier guide to refreshed damp and mould guidance, because windows, heating, ventilation and condensation often need to be considered together.
What the Ombudsman highlighted
The Ombudsman said the latest report comes two years after its first intervention on this topic. It looks at how window issues can be interlinked with other hazards, and how repairs can sometimes be treated reactively rather than as part of a planned approach to property condition.
Examples cited by the Ombudsman include cases where residents experienced long-running problems before windows were repaired, and cases where inspections described the condition of windows in stark terms. The report also points to the need for timely risk assessments and clearer decisions about whether a matter is a routine repair, a larger planned works issue or an immediate hazard requiring faster action.
For private landlords, the Ombudsman may not be the direct complaint route in the same way it is for social housing providers. Even so, the lessons are useful. They show how repair delays, incomplete inspections and weak communication can turn a manageable maintenance issue into a broader standards and tenant-management problem.
What landlords should check now
A sensible first step is to review open repair reports involving windows, damp, mould, cold rooms or water ingress. Look for repeated visits, temporary fixes that have not been followed up, or complaints where the tenant has described the same issue in different ways. A draught complaint, a mould complaint and a broken seal may all point to the same underlying defect.
Landlords should also check how inspections are recorded. A note that says a window was looked at may not be enough if the issue later becomes disputed. Records should explain what was found, what risk was considered, what action was agreed and when the tenant can expect the next step. Photographs, contractor notes and tenant updates can all help show that the issue was taken seriously.
Where a repair cannot be completed quickly, communication becomes important. Tenants should understand whether the delay is due to parts, access, specialist contractors, leaseholder permissions, building-wide works or another practical constraint. The landlord should also consider whether interim steps are needed, particularly where cold, damp, mould or security concerns are present.
This is also a reminder to connect reactive repairs with longer-term planning. If several windows in the same property or block are failing, it may be more effective to assess the whole pattern rather than logging each report as a separate minor defect. Our earlier article on housing hazards and early warning signs is relevant here, because repeated small signals can point to a bigger standard or maintenance issue.
Keep it practical and documented
Landlords do not need to overcomplicate the response. The useful question is whether the repair process would make sense to someone reviewing it later. Was the risk identified? Was the tenant kept updated? Were connected hazards considered? Did the landlord check whether the same issue had happened before? Was there a clear plan if the first repair did not solve the problem?
For small portfolio landlords, the best protection is usually a simple repair log that joins the dots: tenant report, inspection, photos, contractor advice, target date, tenant communication and follow-up check. That kind of record helps prevent drift and gives both landlord and tenant a clearer view of what has happened.
The Ombudsman’s warning is ultimately about apathy. Window defects can look ordinary, but where they affect warmth, ventilation, damp or safety, they deserve a joined-up response. Landlords who review old window repairs now may spot problems before they become longer disputes.
Sources
- Housing Ombudsman, Housing Ombudsman urges landlords to ‘avoid apathy’ on window disrepair as learning shared, published 28 May 2026
- Housing Ombudsman, Learning from severe maladministration report: windows, May 2026
