Newcastle upon Tyne City Council (19 017 430)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 15-Mar-2021

Summary: The Council was at fault for giving Ms X incorrect information when she purchased her house from the Council in 2004. Ms X only became aware of this in 2018 when she tried to sell the house. The Council withheld important information from Ms X which caused her significant distress. The Council has agreed to remedy Ms X’s injustice by apologising and paying her £300 for the avoidable distress arising from the fault and £300 for the time and trouble she has experienced.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (20 011 163)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 02-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complained the Council refused to waive the ‘right to buy’ discount repayment if he sold his property. We will not exercise discretion to investigate as Mr X has a right to take the matter to court, and it is reasonable that he should use that right.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (20 006 516)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 26-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s handling of his Right to Buy application. We will not investigate the complaint because Mr X had an alternative remedy against the Council through the courts which we would reasonably have expected him to have used.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council (20 009 535)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 12-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained about the Council’s valuation of their home in 2004 which they bought under the Right to Buy scheme. We should not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint. This is because it concerns matters which took place some 16 years ago and the complaint was not made to us within 12 months.

Liverpool City Council (20 009 991)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 12-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr C’s complaint that the Council did not give him enough time to refurbish a property which he agreed to purchase. This is because it is unlikely that we would find fault in how the Council dealt with the matter.

Leeds City Council (20 009 253)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 27-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s valuation of her property under the right to buy scheme. This is because it is reasonable for Mrs X to appeal the Council’s decision to the District Valuer.

Leicester City Council (20 006 027)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 25-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complain relating to the terms of sale of a property under Right to Buy legislation. The complainant should have asked the district valuer to decide any question about valuation of the property. We could not alter the terms of the sale which the complainant and Council have now legally completed.

Leeds City Council (20 008 580)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 22-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint arising from the sale of a house by the Council in 2005. We are unlikely to find fault by the Council has caused the complainant injustice.

Bristol City Council (20 008 566)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 19-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint on behalf of Miss C about the Council’s delay in dealing with the purchase of her home under the right to buy. This is because we cannot investigate complaints about the consequences of the Council’s actions managing its social housing and it is reasonable to expect Miss C to use alternative options if the Council delays her right to buy purchase for reasons unrelated to ongoing warranty and disrepair issues.

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.