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.

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.

London Borough of Hounslow (20 010 705)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 21-Jan-2021

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint that the Council has caused damage to her property which it has not rectified. The complaint is outside our legal remit as it relates to the Council’s management of its social housing.

Birmingham City Council (20 008 761)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Managing council tenancies 21-Jan-2021

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint that the Council withheld a refund from the complainant to pay for a historic housing related debt. This is because we have no power to investigate a council when it is acting as a landlord.

London Borough of Newham (20 008 738)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Private housing 20-Jan-2021

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s failure to resolve her claim for legal costs and damages to a property which it rented from her for social services housing provision. We should not exercise discretion investigate this complaint. This is because it concerns a private rental agreement, and it is reasonable for her to seek a remedy in the courts if no satisfactory outcome can be achieved by her solicitors.

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.

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.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (19 019 214)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 14-Jan-2021

Summary: There is no fault in the way the Council dealt with Mr X’s homelessness in 2018. The Council started a new homelessness assessment in March 2020 due a change in Mr X’s housing situation and issued decisions in line with the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Code of Guidance and so there is no fault.