Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the actions of a Council officer in relation to the redevelopment of a Council housing estate. This is because we cannot investigate complaints about the management of social housing by councils.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I will refer to as Mrs B, is a resident of a Council estate which the Council plans to re-build. Mrs B complains about the actions of the Council Liveability officer for the estate whose role is to support residents during this process. Mrs B complains that the officer has spread misinformation about whether residents of the estate were balloted about the demolition of the estate. Mrs B also says the officer is not supporting the well-being of residents.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate complaints about the provision or management of social housing by a council acting as a registered social housing provider. (Local Government Act 1974, paragraph 5A schedule 5, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by Mrs B.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mrs B’s complaint is about the Council’s management of the estate where she lives. We cannot investigate complaints about the management of social housing by councils acting as a social landlord. This restriction applies to both complaints about the Council’s actions as an organisation and complaints about the conduct of individual officers who perform a housing management role on behalf of the Council. This means we have no discretion to investigate Mrs B’s complaint.

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Final decision

7. We cannot investigate Mrs B’s complaint because it is about the management of social housing by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman