Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to backdate the complainant’s housing application. This is because the Council has now backdated the application.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I refer to as Ms X, complained the Council would not backdate her housing application to 2017.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 the problem has been resolved. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Ms X and the Council. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Ms X joined the housing register in 2017. Her husband died in 2018 and Ms X felt unable to remain in the flat they had shared. Ms X moved. Ms X says she told the Council she had moved; the Council says she did not.
5. Ms X made a new housing application in 2019. The Council initially refused to backdate the application to 2017. But, a few days ago, the Council decided to backdate the application to 2017.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate this complaint because the problem has been resolved.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman