Bristol City Council (20 001 861)

Statement Upheld Allocations 26-Jan-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about the way the Council assessed her priority band for the Bristol Home Choice scheme. We found no fault in the way it made that decision. However its handling of her complaint was poor and it has agreed to apologise for that.

Birmingham City Council (20 007 884)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 25-Jan-2021

Summary: A Council tenant complained the Council had unreasonably refused to transfer him to another property due to the excessive service charges for his current accommodation. However we will not investigate the tenant’s complaint. This is because there is no sign of fault by the Council in the way it has dealt with his transfer applications which has caused him an injustice to warrant our further involvement.

London Borough of Lambeth (20 001 324)

Statement Upheld Allocations 25-Jan-2021

Summary: Ms X complains the Council was at fault in the way it dealt with her housing situation in 2018 as she accepted an offer of private rented accommodation outside of the borough away from her support network. The Council has accepted it was at fault as it failed to fully explain the consequences of accepting an offer of private rented accommodation. It has apologised and offered Ms X a suitable remedy for the situation she found herself in. We found no evidence of fault in the way the Council carried out its housing duty and renewed Ms X’s tenancy in January 2020.

Sheffield City Council (20 008 675)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 19-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s assessment of his housing application for a transfer to another of its properties. We should not investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Buckinghamshire Council (20 007 934)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 18-Jan-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s failure to ensure that her social housing rent account was cleared when she surrendered her tenancy on the advice of a social services case conference in 2018. We should not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint which was received outside the normal 12-month period for accepting complaints. The Ombudsman has no jurisdiction to investigate complaints about tenancy matters involving social housing landlords.

Stevenage Borough Council (20 006 218)

Statement Upheld Allocations 12-Jan-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council has failed to find suitable accommodation for her family despite them having the highest priority for an allocation and it failed to keep her updated on progress. There was no fault in the way the Council assessed Mrs X’s housing priority. The Council was at fault for giving Mrs X unclear advice, which raised her expectations, for not keeping adequate records of contacts and for not responding properly to her complaint. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X, pay her £150 and to make some changes to its processes.

East Suffolk Council (19 013 089)

Statement Upheld Allocations 08-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr R complains about the suitability of accommodation the Council moved him to when he became homeless. He complains of problems with using his wheelchair in accessing and around the property. He also complains about problems with a later property. We uphold the complaint.

Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council (19 015 893)

Statement Upheld Allocations 08-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision to demote his housing application. The Ombudsman found fault causing injustice and the Council agreed to offer a remedy.

Broxtowe Borough Council (20 000 983)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 08-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s failure to give his housing application higher priority due to his daughter’s medical needs. We should not investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

London Borough Of Barnet (20 002 378)

Statement Upheld Allocations 05-Jan-2021

Summary: There was fault by the Council when dealing with a housing transfer application. There was delay and poor communication, and the Council did not carry out a home visit according to its policy. The Council’s apology and reassessment of the application according to its policy remedies the injustice caused.