Maidstone Borough Council (25 003 527)
Category : Environment and regulation > Antisocial behaviour
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 26 Aug 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to respond to Mrs X’s complaints about anti-social behaviour. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.
The complaint
- Mrs X complained the Council failed to properly respond to reports of anti-social behaviour she has made about her next-door neighbour.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mrs X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mrs X complained because she was unhappy with the Council’s response to her reports of anti-social behaviour involving her next-door neighbour.
- The Council acknowledged there has been an ongoing dispute between Mrs X and her neighbours, with both sides receiving a warning for anti-social behaviour.
- The Council invited Mrs X to a meeting to discuss the issues and to provide evidence. Mrs X brought the complaint to the Ombudsman as she remained unhappy with the situation.
- The Council has responded to Mrs X complaint by providing Mrs X with an opportunity to discuss the dispute and to provide evidence. This is in line with what we would expect the Council to do. It is open to Mrs X to engage with the Council to resolve this complaint. An investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman