Leicester City Council (20 008 238)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 07-Jan-2021

Summary: We shall not investigate Mr X’s complaint about delays exercising his right to buy his Council home. This is because we are unlikely to find fault in the Council not offsetting some of Mr X’s rent against the purchase price of his home.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (19 006 165)

Statement Not upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 06-Jan-2021

Summary: There is no fault in the Council cancelling Ms X’s Right to Buy application when it found evidence that she owned another property. The Council allowed Ms X to make a new application when the other property was no longer in her name.

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (20 002 116)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 08-Dec-2020

Summary: We shall not investigate this complaint about how the Council handled Mrs X’s claim to buy her home. This is because Mrs X has the right to go to court.

Bassetlaw District Council (20 001 449)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 04-Dec-2020

Summary: Mr C complained the Council delayed completing on his right to buy application. We find the Council was at fault for its delays in dealing with Mr C’s right to buy application. The Council has agreed to our recommendation to address the injustice caused to Mr C by paying him the equivalent of five months’ rent.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (19 014 801)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 01-Dec-2020

Summary: Ms B complains that the Council delayed in dealing with her purchase of her Council flat under the right to buy scheme. The Ombudsman finds the Council delayed in dealing with the process, failed to communicate properly with Ms B and failed to deduct an agreed amount from the purchase price on completion. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms B and make a payment to her in recognition of the distress and inconvenience she suffered.

London Borough of Hounslow (20 005 990)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 24-Nov-2020

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a claim to buy a Council home. This is because it would be reasonable to expect the complainants to use their right to go to court.

Leeds City Council (19 019 981)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 20-Nov-2020

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s handling of her Right to Buy application. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because it would be reasonable to expect Ms X to take the matter to court.

London Borough of Lambeth (20 005 307)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 20-Nov-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council refusing to extend her Right to Buy application in 2016. The Ombudsman should not exercise his discretion to investigate this complaint. This is because it concerns matters which the complainant was aware of more than 12 months before they complained to us.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (19 001 731)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 18-Nov-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman finds the Council was at fault in its consideration of Mr B’s claim for legal fees. The Council then refused to pay a remedy previously agreed for delays in handling Mr B’s Right to Buy application. The Council has agreed the recommended remedy.

Liverpool City Council (20 004 518)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 16-Oct-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council failing to secure her protected Right to Buy when she transferred to a housing association tenancy in 2009. The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint. This is because it concerns tenancy matters between a social housing landlord and their tenant and is outside our jurisdiction.