'Make Things Right' Campaign: A Greater Voice for Residents

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Social housing residents across England are being reminded and encouraged to speak up and be heard in a Statement made by in Parliament on 25 June 2025 by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on behalf of Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The Government’s 'Make things right' campaign, launched in 2023 as part of wider social housing reforms, aims to empower tenants to raise complaints, report poor conditions, and understand their rights and was a clear signal that the era of being ignored is over.

Backed by an ongoing drive across TV, radio and social media, the campaign is part of a broader effort to rebalance the power between landlords and residents and to ensure complaints lead to action instead of silence.

What did Baroness Taylor say in her Statement?

Baroness Taylor started her Statement by saying:

"The government is clear that homes must, above all, be safe. Safety is non-negotiable, and landlords must take urgent action to respond to issues when they arise. We want housing providers to put the people who live in their homes at the heart of their mission, approaching their relationships with tenants with care and professionalism so that mutual trust and respect is established."

She went on say:

"Our Make Things Right Campaign already informs tenants how they can use social housing complaints procedures and access the Housing Ombudsman Service. To ensure tenants continue to know their rights and are fully informed about the introduction of Awaab’s Law, later this year the Make Things Right campaign will also include information on the new requirements, and we will publish guidance for tenants on Awaab’s Law, when it comes into force in October 2025."

What is the 'Make things right' campaign?

Led by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), renamed in July 2024 to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the campaign targets residents of housing associations and local authorities, urging them to:

• Report repair and safety issues to their landlord
• Use the formal complaints process if not resolved
• Escalate complaints to the Housing Ombudsman if needed

The message is simple: if something’s wrong in your home then don’t stay silent and take action to make things right.

The campaign also ties into the wider Social Housing White Paper, the Regulation of Social Housing Act 2023, and the move to more proactive consumer regulation from 2024.

Why is the 'Make things right' campaign needed?

The campaign followed a series of high-profile cases, including the tragic death of Awaab Ishak, that exposed serious failures in how some landlords respond to complaints and disrepair issues.

According to recent research commissioned by the Government:

• Only 52% of social housing residents who experienced disrepair or poor treatment made a complaint
• Many feared being ignored or not taken seriously or losing their right to a home
• Some didn’t know how to complain or that they were even allowed to

The 'Make things right' campaign seeks to change this by giving residents the tools, confidence and support to raise their voice.

How should landlords respond?

From April 2024, the Regulator of Social Housing has been inspecting how well landlords listen to tenants and resolve complaints following the introduction of the new Consumer Standards.

Landlords should:

• Review their complaints policies and response times
• Train their people to handle complaints with empathy and urgency
• Promote the complaints process clearly in all resident communications
• Encourage feedback, record it and act on it

Ignoring complaints is no longer an option and listening and acting is now a regulatory requirement.

Is a 'greater voice for residents' here to stay?

'Make things right' is part of a cultural shift, not a one-off campaign.

Landlords that embrace that shift now will be better placed to meet the expectations of residents, regulators and the wider public going forwards.

Speaking in October 2023, Housing Secretary, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP said:

"Social landlords who fail their residents time and time again must be held to account. The Make Things Right campaign gives residents a greater voice to bring about real change - making sure they know their rights to stand up to bad landlords and go to the Ombudsman when issues remain unresolved."

How can DISREPAIR AWARE help?

Many rented homes are not inspected regularly or maintained properly - we want to help improve housing conditions for everyone.

We help tenants and leaseholders understand their rights and get support and help registered providers, private landlords and managing agents to understand their obligations and get compliant.