Think tank

If there was some way of finding out likely areas, I could explore them myself. How would I make a start on planning my semi-retirement in three years' time, and find out about suitable areas to move to within social housing?

I do not think there is any particular scheme for this. How much trouble you have will depend on where you want to go.

If you want to live in a very popular part of the country, you will have either to find an exchange partner or to demonstrate very strong local links. Either approach is likely to be difficult.

If, however, your preferred area is less popular, there are likely to be many local authorities and housing associations that would be only too glad to hear from a reliable prospective tenant, whether or not you have local ties. Many seaside towns would fall into this category, especially in the North.

John Bryant, Policy officer, National Housing Federation

Noise from four neighbours
I am a housing association tenant experiencing problems with day-to-day noise. Since moving into this property in July 2002, I have written many times to my housing provider and I am still filling in monitoring forms. I am following the complaints procedure and am now going through step two of five.

I live in a centrally located flat, and suffer noise from all directions.

From my next-door neighbour, I hear conversations and the TV on through the night. I hear the neighbour above me as she walks from one room to another, scrapes chairs across the floor and argues with her partner. The tenants in the next block play their music too loudly. I don't think the noise level is high enough for an environmental health complaint.

I would like my property to be soundproofed but, as I know they won't do that, I want a transfer.

My estate manager said I probably wouldn't be considered for a transfer on these grounds, plus they did not want to move someone else into my property to suffer the same. What can I do?

As ombudsman, it is difficult for me to give specific advice on such a case as it may, at a later stage, come before me for formal consideration.

You should continue to pursue the matter through the landlord's complaints procedure and, if you remain unhappy once you have exhausted that procedure, bring the matter to the attention of my office.

We will then be able to gather the evidence, establish the facts, and make a determination on the landlord's handling of your complaints.

If you feel the landlord is delaying taking the matter through the complaints procedure, you should contact my office earlier and we will be able to write to them urging them to deal with the matter more quickly.

On a related note, you say the landlord's complaints procedure has five stages. I would normally consider such a large number of stages to be unnecessary and too onerous and time-consuming for complainants. I usually recommend that landlords limit the number of stages to two or three.

Dr Mike Biles, The housing ombudsman