Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the cost of collecting bulky waste. This is because there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I refer to as Mr X, complains the Council charged £33 to collect a tumble dryer without telling him a furniture project would have collected it for free. Mr X wants a full or partial refund.

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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 an investigation if we believe the injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I read the complaint and the Council’s responses. I invited Mr X to comment on a draft of this decision.

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What I found

Community Furniture Project

4. There is a furniture project that collects donations free of charge. It collects donations that can be re-used.

What happened

5. Mr X contacted the Council to book a collection for a tumble dryer. Mr X paid £33.
6. Mr X saw a van from the furniture project collect the tumble dryer. He contacted the project who said they would have collected the item for free. Mr X complained to the Council.
7. The Council explained it provides grants to the project so it can collect items that can be reused rather than sent to landfill. It said that not all collections through the project are free; it depends on the condition of the items. The Council agreed it should tell people, when they call, that there might be cheaper alternatives. The Council now advises people that the project might be able to collect items for free. The Council declined to provide a refund to Mr X.
8. The project was unable to re-use the tumble dryer due to its condition. The tumble dryer was sent to landfill which incurred a cost to the Council.

Assessment

9. I will not start an investigation because there is insufficient evidence of injustice. The project collects items, for free, if they can be re-used/recycled. Mr X’s tumble dryer could not be reused but had to be scrapped. So, even if the Council had told Mr X about the project, he would not have been eligible for a free collection due to the condition of the tumble dryer. In addition, a dispute over £33 does not represent sufficient injustice to warrant an investigation and the Council has already changed its procedures to alert people that there may be a cheaper alternative.

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Final decision

10. I will not start an investigation because there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman