Westminster City Council (20 002 470)

Statement Upheld Allocations 16-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the way the Council considered his housing application and its decision that he did not qualify to join the Housing Register. He complained that the Council failed to inform him of his right to request a review and it did not make a review decision when he later requested one. We found the Council was at fault and this caused injustice to Mr X. The Council has agreed to provide a suitable remedy.

London Borough of Bexley (20 005 627)

Statement Not upheld Private housing 15-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council has dealt with his complaint about damp at his privately rented property. The Ombudsman has not found fault by the Council.

Birmingham City Council (20 009 807)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 15-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision that the complainant cannot join the housing register. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Birmingham City Council (19 019 527)

Statement Not upheld Private housing 12-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s response to his reports of disrepair in the home he rents from a private landlord. The Ombudsman found the Council was entitled to reach its decision and was not at fault.

Exeter City Council (20 009 282)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 12-Feb-2021

Summary: We shall not investigate Miss X’s complaint about what happened when she was homeless. The complaint is late without strong enough reason to investigate it now.

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.

London Borough of Harrow (20 010 332)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 11-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s application of its housing policy as there is not enough evidence of fault causing significant injustice.

London Borough of Hillingdon (20 003 557)

Statement Upheld Allocations 11-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr X complained that the Council wrongly decided he has no housing need and so he did not qualify to join its Housing Register. We found fault because the Council did not follow the procedure in its housing allocations policy for medical assessments when it assessed Mr X’s housing needs. This caused injustice to Mr X because his application was not properly considered. The Council has agreed to reconsider his application and make a new decision.

London Borough of Ealing (19 018 437)

Statement Upheld Allocations 11-Feb-2021

Summary: The Council failed to properly check Ms B’s application before it allowed her to join the Council’s housing register. It decided almost two years later that Ms B was not eligible to join the register and then failed to properly review its decision. The Council also failed to properly respond to Ms B’s formal complaint, or to her numerous telephone calls and emails and her initial requests for a review. The Council has agreed to make a payment to Ms B, review its decision and take action to prevent similar failings in future.