Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions in response to safeguarding concerns raised about the complainant. This is because there is nothing further that we could add to the Council’s investigation of the complaint.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I refer to here as Miss N, says that:
• The Council, with the police, unreasonably broke into her home and caused damage;
• The damage has not been put right;
• She is concerned that the Council Officer involved may have been impersonating a social worker;
• The incident has caused her to be fearful and very stressed and depressed, but the Council has not offered her support; and
• The Council has not provided her with an assessment of needs or put her in touch with support to deal with her hoarding problem.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint. I refer to this as ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we believe it is unlikely we could add to any previous investigation by the Council. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I have considered the information provided by Miss N and by the Council. I have also sent Miss N a draft decision for her comments.

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What I found

4. When concerns were raised to the Council regarding Miss N’s welfare, the Council tried to make welfare checks. It was unable to contact her, and asked the police to do so. The police took the decision to break into Miss N’s house to establish her safety and well being, accompanied by a social work assistant on behalf of the Council.
5. The break in caused damage to Miss N’s property. It also caused distress to her as she did not require any assistance.
6. Miss N complained to the Council. It has investigated her complaint, but it says that given the concerns that were raised, it had a responsibility to make checks and could not do so without the support of the police. It was a police decision to break in to Miss N’s house. The Council adds that contrary to Miss N’s concerns, the accompanying council officer is a bona fide social work assistant.
7. The Council further says that it is willing to pay for the costs of repairing the damage to the house, if Miss N provides receipts for it.
8. The Council also offers an assessment and support if Miss N would like it, and it has again provided information about house clearance in relation to her hoarding problem.
9. There is nothing that further investigation by the Ombudsman could add to this investigation and response. Whilst I can understand that the intrusion into her house would have been distressing for Miss N, the Council did have a duty to follow up the concerns raised for her welfare, and it has offered both support and the cost of any repairs.

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Final decision

10. I will not investigate this complaint. This is because there is no additional outcome that can be achieved through further investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman