Dacorum Borough Council (21 004 921)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 31-Aug-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a Right to Buy application. This is because it is reasonable to expect the complainant to have used the legal remedy available to them via the courts.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (21 004 993)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 17-Aug-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that the Council has delayed processing his right to buy application. This is because it was reasonable for Mr B to use the notice of delay procedure, and if needed, take the Council to court.

Epping Forest District Council (21 004 133)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 09-Aug-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council dealt with a Right to Buy application. This complaint is late and there are no good reasons to accept it now.

Bristol City Council (21 003 454)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 23-Jul-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with requests for the complainants late parents to purchase their home under the Right to Buy scheme. This is because the events happened too long ago.

London Borough of Camden (20 003 896)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 20-Jul-2021

Summary: The Ombudsman found fault on Mr L’s complaint against the Council about the way it dealt with establishing whether internal structural changes were made in the flat he was buying under the Right to Buy scheme. Officers failed to keep updated records showing the internal layout when he moved in after refurbishment works. Officers also failed to consider alternative ways of establishing its layout. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

London Borough of Lambeth (21 002 135)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 08-Jul-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in responding to her solicitor’s enquiries about her council-property as part of the ‘Right to Buy’ process. This is because it would have been reasonable for Miss X to follow the statutory process available to her and take the matter to court.

London Borough of Lambeth (21 003 714)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 24-Jun-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the way the Council is handling her Right to Buy Application. This is because it is reasonable to expect Miss X to use the legal remedy available in the County Court.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (20 008 611)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 07-May-2021

Summary: The Council’s delay in processing Mr X’s Right to Buy application was fault. This caused Mr X some distress and inconvenience. The Council offered a suitable remedy to recognise the impact this had on him. It would have been reasonable for Mr X to have used the statutory delay notice procedure to get the rent he paid during periods of delay deducted from the purchase price.

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (20 005 421)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 04-May-2021

Summary: Mr Y complains about the process followed by the Council when he applied to purchase his home under the Right to Buy scheme. The Council has already found fault causing injustice and offered a total financial payment of £1,200 for distress, time and trouble and some quantifiable loss. We find this is a suitable remedy for the personal injustice Mr Y suffered. However, the Council will also remind its officers about the statutory delay process and amend any relevant template letters to ensure they accurately reflect the legislation.

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council (20 007 720)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 30-Apr-2021

Summary: Mr K complained the Council made errors in the Right to Buy process which delayed his purchase of a property. He also said it wrongly disputed the property boundary. The Council was at fault for the errors it made. These caused a limited delay to the completion of the process, and the Council apologised for this. However, this was not enough to remedy the injustice caused to Mr K. And so, the Council agreed to make a payment to Mr K to acknowledge the distress and uncertainty caused.