Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council handed Miss X’s report of her broken door. This is because we could not achieve anything significantly more.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains that the Council failed to respond appropriately to her report of a broken door. She says she reported the fault multiple times but felt ignored and believed the Council did not take her vulnerabilities seriously.
2. Miss X explains that this experience made her feel nervous about future issues and left her isolated, as she was unable to open the door while it was broken.
3. Miss X requests that the Council amend the reporting system to make it more straightforward.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. 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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or 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

5. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. The Council installed an electronically operated door at Miss X’s home because her disability prevents her using a door manually. The Council is responsible for repairing the door. Miss X contacted the Council after her door had broken. This responsibility was passed between departments and the Council’s contractor. The door was repaired two days later During this time Miss X would have had worry due to the time it was taking to organise the repair.
8. The Council has told us it is its responsibility to repair the door, and it has contracted a new provider to manage the repairs and, if necessary, replace Miss X’s door.
9. The Council has told the Miss X which department to contact in the event of more problems. It has also stated it has procured a new contractor who will inspect the door and if necessary, replace it.
10. This commitment should reduce Miss X’s understandable worry about possible future issues with the door.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because we could not achieve significantly more than has already happened.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman