Birmingham City Council (18 012 331)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 01-Oct-2019

Summary: Ms X complains the Council mishandled her housing benefit claim leading to rent arrears. The Ombudsman finds there was fault by the Council. The Council has agreed a remedy.

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (19 007 498)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 26-Sep-2019

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s decision to recover an overpayment of benefit. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because she appealed to a tribunal.

Westminster City Council (19 006 579)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 17-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s recovery of an alleged overpayment of housing benefit. The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because the complaint is late and it was reasonable for Mr X to appeal to the tribunal.

Chesterfield Borough Council (19 006 697)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 17-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint that the Council is pursuing the complainant for housing benefit overpayments which the complainant says the Council wrote off in 2015. This is because it is a late complaint and because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Croydon (19 006 717)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 17-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s decisions regarding his entitlement to housing benefit. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because he had a right of appeal to a tribunal.

London Borough of Islington (19 005 683)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 17-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about an overpayment of housing benefit. Mr X is using his right to appeal to the benefit tribunal.

London Borough of Lambeth (17 013 708)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 17-Sep-2019

Summary: The complainant says the Council failed to properly consider and refer her appeal against a housing benefit decision to the tribunal. The complainant says the delay in dealing with the matter has caused hardship and inconvenience. The Council says it set out its reasons for its decision and invited the complainant to send in a formal appeal, but it did not receive one and so did not refer the matter to the tribunal. The Ombudsman finds the Council acted with fault and recommends the Council decides if it can reinstate housing benefit or refer the complainant’s appeal to the Tribunal.

Birmingham City Council (19 006 728)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 12-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s assessment of his housing benefit and council tax reduction claim and the dates of payment. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there was a right of appeal to a tribunal.

London Borough of Hillingdon (19 006 439)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 10-Sep-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about problems the complainant had in getting a £10 housing benefit refund. This is because there in insufficient evidence of fault and injustice.

Milton Keynes Council (19 005 059)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 09-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council unfairly sought repayment of an overpayment of housing benefit for his son Mr Y. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because he had a right of appeal to a tribunal and the matter is out of time.