The Housing Ombudsman has unveiled a new special investigations process designed to help landlords identify and resolve problems earlier, without the need for a full investigation.

The revised approach takes a tiered structure, aiming to strengthen accountability and improve services for residents.

The announcement comes as Richmond Housing Partnership (RHP) was among several landlords where Tier 1 investigations have recently been closed, following evidence of improvement and engagement with the Ombudsman.

Under the new model, landlords will be asked to take early action when the Ombudsman identifies performance issues.

If progress is not made, they may move through further stages of scrutiny, culminating in a full investigation and published report at Tier 3.

The Ombudsman confirmed it had opened an investigation into RHP earlier this year after identifying a high maladministration rate (89%), including several severe maladministration findings (nine).

Areas of concern included contractor management, knowledge and information management, damp and mould handling, and resident communication.

However, the Ombudsman has now closed its investigation, acknowledging that RHP has taken significant steps to address these issues and prevent them from recurring.

A spokesperson for Richmond Housing Partnership said: "We welcome the Housing Ombudsman's review and are pleased that they have recognised the learning our team has done to understand our repairs service and the resulting clarity and improvements now expected from our newly implemented in-house repairs model.

"The decision to close the investigation reflects our commitment to learning from past challenges and taking meaningful steps to strengthen our approach.

"Our new in-house repairs service, launched on 1 October 2025, aims to deliver more consistent quality, increased accountability and improved customer care.

"We will continue working transparently and collaboratively with residents and the Ombudsman to build trust, accountability and service excellence."

The Housing Ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, said the revised process was part of a wider effort to embed a positive complaints culture across the housing sector.

"Complaints are vital tools for learning and continuous improvement," he said.

"Our new approach enables us to engage landlords earlier, share insights and encourage them to prevent service failings reoccurring.

"This proactive approach should deliver better outcomes for residents and landlords alike."

The new special investigations model has already been trialled with several landlords, including A2Dominion, Hexagon Housing Association, and the London Borough of Wandsworth.

Landlords will be monitored to ensure improvements continue, with the Ombudsman maintaining close contact with the Regulator of Social Housing and other key oversight bodies.

Residents can read more about the Ombudsman's new special investigations process here.

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