Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions for work carried out under a disabled facilities grant. Further investigation will not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains the Council told her to claim on her home insurance despite knowing poor work was the cause of the damage. She says her roof is damaged and she is missing a radiator. Miss X also complains the contractor was rude to her.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Miss X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Miss X confirms the Council arranged for her roof to be fixed. The Council confirms a second radiator is not possible as it would place Miss X’s boiler under excess strain. It has therefore offered to install an electric radiator instead. I understand Miss X chose to reject this offer.
6. We do not consider an investigation would lead to a different outcome. We cannot require the Council to have a radiator installed which is linked to Miss X’s boiler as it has confirmed this is not feasible. It is for Miss X to decide whether to accept the offer of an alternative electric radiator.

7. The Council has apologised if Miss X felt the contractor had been unprofessional. It confirmed it would consider this information during the tender process for future frameworks. We consider this is an appropriate remedy to this part of Miss X’s complaint.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because further investigation will not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman