Cambridge City Council (19 018 538)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 25-Mar-2020

Summary: The complaint is about the Council asking Ms X to repay housing benefit. The Ombudsman will not pursue this complaint because of Ms X’s right to appeal to a tribunal. In the event, the Council has now decided not to ask Ms X for the payment.

London Borough of Haringey (19 019 060)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 23-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. This is because the complainant was able to exercise appeal rights, putting the complaint out of the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (19 019 035)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 20-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about an alleged overpayment of housing benefit. This is because Miss X’s complaint is late, and it was reasonable for Miss X to have appealed to the tribunal.

London Borough of Lewisham (18 017 068)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 19-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr X complained on behalf of his friend Ms Y about the Council’s decision to evict and discharge its housing duty to Ms Y in November 2018. He also complained the Council failed to respond to his appeals about decisions around Ms Y’s housing benefit. Ms Y had a statutory right of review around the Council’s decision to discharge its housing duty and it was open to her to use that right. Therefore, I have not investigated that matter any further. The Council was at fault for failing to formally respond to Mr X’s appeals on behalf of Ms Y and for failing to pass them to the tribunal. The Council has now reconsidered the appeals and has formally written to Ms Y explaining its decisions which is an appropriate remedy.

Tendring District Council (19 017 830)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 18-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about a housing benefit overpayment. This is because the complainant could have appealed to the tribunal and because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Trafford Council (19 017 677)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 16-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint that the Council will not reduce the repayment rate for council tax arrears and a housing benefit overpayment. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Norwich City Council (19 017 842)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 16-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms B’s complaint about housing benefit and council tax support. This is because it would have been reasonable for Ms B to have used her appeal rights.

London Borough of Croydon (19 018 630)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 14-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about a housing benefit overpayment. This is because Miss X has appealed to the tribunal and so the complaint is outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.

Salford City Council (19 013 676)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 13-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council is paying his housing benefit direct to his landlord and failed to get his landlord to deal properly with anti social behaviour. The Council has not caused Mr X injustice. It has agreed with the Ombudsman that it will act to ensure that housing benefit decision letters clearly explain rights of appeal to an independent tribunal.

Wealden District Council (19 016 434)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 13-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms X’s complaint that the Council failed to handle her housing benefit and council tax accounts properly from 2016. Much of the complaint is outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. The Council has reviewed the council tax position and agreed to refund to Ms X the costs of a court summons as a gesture of goodwill.