• The complaint
• The Ombudsman’s role and powers
• How I considered this complaint
• My assessment
• Final decision

The Ombudsman's final decision:

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about support the Council provided installing a new cooker. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council did not provide her appropriate support after she asked it for help installing a new cooker. She said she told the Council that without the cooker, she could not feed her child. She said the lack of support has affected her emotionally and financially, as she had to use delivery services for meals. She wants compensation from the Council.

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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 the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In its final complaint response, the Council explained that it was not responsible for installing Miss X’s cooker. It said the Council had tried to signpost Miss X to the correct organisations for support, however, accepted its advice to Miss X could have been clearer. It offered Miss X a £100 remedy for any distress caused.
6. Although Miss X is unhappy with the Council’s response, we will not investigate further. In the information sent to us, Miss X said the Council arranged for the installation of the cooker in May. In addition, the Council has upheld the complaint and offered a suitable remedy. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

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

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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