Is the complaint about something that the Ombudsman can investigate?

The Ombudsman investigates complaints about services provided by councils as well as other organisations.

Authorities within the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction:

• Councils (district, borough, city or county, but not town or parish).
• Education appeal panels.
• School governing bodies (admission matters only).
• School organisation committees.
• Joint boards of local authorities.
• National park authorities.
• Fire authorities.
• Police authorities (but not about the investigation or prevention of crime).
• Internal drainage boards.
• The Greater London Authority.
• London TravelWatch.
• Transport for London.
• The London Development Agency.
• The Commission for New Towns (housing matters only).
• English Partnerships (some housing and planning matters only).
• The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Authority.
• The Environment Agency (flood defence and land drainage matters only).

This includes problems with:

• Housing benefit or council tax benefit claims or payments
• Council housing repairs
• Homelessness applications
• Rent arrears / possession action
• Council tax bills, arrears and recovery action
• Housing allocations and transfers
• Neighbour nuisance
• Social services
• School admissions and exclusions
• Special educational needs
• Planning