Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s housing allocations scheme. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant us investigating.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council has not yet moved him and his wife to a property more suited to their physical and mental health needs. Their accommodation is worsening their health. Mr X wants the Council to rehouse them quickly.

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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 or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X and his wife joined the Council’s housing list in May 2021. In July 2021, a Council officer working with the family submitted evidence which led to them being moved to band A, the highest priority. There is nothing that suggests to me that the Council has not acted in line with its housing allocations policy. The Council explained to Mr X it cannot say when suitable housing will become available and when Mr and Mrs X will reach the front of the list.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant us investigating.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman