Southwark Council receives 1,000 complaints a month

 A Freedom of Information request has revealed that Labour-run Southwark Council received 12,311 complaints in 2024/2025, with the latest monthly figures suggesting that figure will be surpassed this year.  

62% of complaints related to housing, underscoring the dire state of housing in Southwark.  

The regulator of social housing had previously awarded the council with a “C3” rating – the second lowest – which indicates “serious failings”.  

The data also showed that complaints are steadily rising – with total complaints up 41% since 2020. October 2025 also showed the third highest number of housing complaints since 2020, with residents registering a shocking 780 complaints in just one month – which equates to almost 30 a day.  

Commenting, Southwark Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain said: 

“These shocking statistics demonstrate what we hear from residents all the time – that this Labour council is letting them down at every turn. The fact that housing complaints in particular are steadily rising shows that Labour are fundamentally incapable of turning their broken housing department around after the scathing report from the Government’s regulator.  

Liberal Democrats stand ready to fix what Labour have broken. We will put a one stop shop in every neighbourhood so residents can access council services face to face, and transform the housing department into a service that is responsive, transparent, and fit for purpose.”