Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the priority the Council gave the complainant’s housing register application. This is because the complaint has now been resolved.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I will refer to as Miss X, has complained about the priority the Council gave her housing register application.

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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 the matter has been resolved. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I have considered the complaint and the information from Miss X and the Council. I have also spoken to Miss X and she has confirmed that her complaint has now been resolved.

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What I found

4. The Council’s housing allocations policy has three different bands to determine priority for housing. The highest band is awarded to applicants with an urgent need to move and includes situations where the applicant’s circumstances are considered extreme by the Council. Applicants with a high medical need who need to move because their accommodation is unsuitable will be given medium priority.

What happened

5. The Council accepted Miss X onto its housing register. Miss X’s application was initially awarded low priority, but this was increased to medium priority to reflect her family’s medical needs. Miss X complained to the Council as she believed she should be given high priority.

Assessment

6. I will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the priority the Council gave her housing register application. This is as the issue complained about has now been resolved.
7. Since Miss X complained to the Ombudsman, she has met with the Council and it has confirmed that her application will be given high priority. The Council has applied the increased priority from the original date of Miss X’s housing register application. Miss X has confirmed that this has now resolved her complaint.

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Final decision

8. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. This is because the complaint has been resolved.

Investigator’s final decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman