Sheffield City Council (21 003 782)
Category : Housing > Allocations
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 10 Aug 2021
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has not awarded priority to the complainant’s housing application. This is because the Council has offered to do a further review.
The complaint
- The complainant, whom I refer to as Mr X, disagrees with the Council’s decision not to award priority to his housing application. Mr X wants to move to a home which is more suitable for his family’s needs.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Ombudsman investigates 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 an investigation if we decide the Council has offered a fair remedy. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council. This includes information from the Council saying it would like to do a further review. I considered our Assessment Code and comments Mr X made in reply to a draft of this decision.
My assessment
- Mr X is on the housing register. He asked the Council to award priority on the application mainly because his flat is too small and the overcrowding will get worse because his wife is pregnant.
- The Council reviewed his application but decided Mr X does not qualify for priority. It signposted Mr X to us. However, the Council has now looked at the case again and says a manager will carry out a further review.
- I will not start an investigation because the Council will do another review. If Mr X is unhappy with the outcome of the further review he can make a new complaint to us. This is a fair outcome to this complaint because we have no power to rehouse Mr X or to award priority.
Final decision
- I will not investigate this complaint because the Council will do another review.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman