Birmingham City Council (19 012 760)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 07-Jan-2020

Summary: Ms X complains that the Council unreasonably delayed making her an extended payment of housing benefit. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the matter is out of time.

London Borough of Havering (19 008 338)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 06-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council reduced his Housing Benefit and then refused on several occasions to pass his case to the Tribunal when he appealed. Mr X said this caused him and his family frustration and distress. The Council was at fault and has agreed to apologise to Mr X, make him a financial payment and review its procedures.

Norwich City Council (19 013 021)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 05-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr A’s complaint that the Council is at fault in deciding that it has overpaid housing benefit and in recovering it from him. This is because Mr A may appeal to a tribunal and it would be reasonable for him to do so.

Manchester City Council (19 012 778)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 24-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about a housing benefit overpayment. This is because the complainant could have used his appeal rights and because it is a late complaint.

Cherwell District Council (19 008 314)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 23-Dec-2019

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s recovery of unpaid council tax from previous accounts and a housing benefit overpayment generated in 2017. The Ombudsman should not exercise his discretion to investigate this complaint. This is because it concerns matters which he was aware of more than 12 months before he submitted his complaint. These matters were subject to a right of appeal to an independent tribunal when the Council informed him in 2017.

London Borough of Camden (19 012 981)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 19-Dec-2019

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to award Miss Q housing benefit. This is because she has appealed to a tribunal.

Hertsmere Borough Council (19 010 933)

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

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about housing benefit overpayments. This is because it is a late complaint, the matters have been considered in court and because the complainant could have appealed to the tribunal.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (19 005 565)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 16-Dec-2019

Summary: Ms B complains the Council invoiced her for overpayment of housing benefit. Ms B says the Council has charged her for money it did not pay her and has not properly explained why. She says the Council took enforcement action and did not place the matter on hold after she complained. The Ombudsman finds fault in how the Council has responded to Ms B.

London Borough of Hackney (19 011 850)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 14-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs A’s complaint that the Council wrongly paid housing benefit to her tenant for a period in 2016. The complaint is late and there are insufficient grounds to investigate it now.

Guildford Borough Council (18 018 833)

Statement Not upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 13-Dec-2019

Summary: Mr X complains the Council unreasonably delayed taking recovery action for a debt he owned. He complained there was a failure to respond to his correspondence properly. I found there was no fault by the Council.