Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the assessment of Mrs X’s housing application. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained about the Council’s assessment of her housing application in 2022. She said that she had only been registered as suitable to be awarded 3-bedroom or 3-bedroom parlour houses when her family’s complex needs required a 4-bedroom home.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word fault to refer to these. We consider whether there was fault in the way an organisation made its decision. If there was no fault in the decision making, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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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. Mrs X complained to us in May 2022 that she had been assessed as being in need of 3-bedroomed or 3-bedroom parlour house accommodation. She disputed the Council’s decision because she says her family have complex needs and some members are unable to share rooms with others. The Council told her that it usually offers 3-bedroom accommodation to families who may need four bedrooms because a parlour may be used as sleeping accommodation under overcrowding legislation.
6. We referred Mrs X’s complaint back to the Council because she had not completed the complaints procedure. Following this the Council asked for further information and assessments from its Social Care Team and other housing services. The case was reviewed and it was decided to extend Mrs X’s bidding status to 4-bedroomed properties from late May.
7. Mrs X had asked in her complaint to us that her priority be changed to include 4-bedroom houses and this is now in place. The Council advised Mrs X that it recommended 3-bedroom parlour houses because they are more likely to occur as vacancies than 4-bedroom homes which are few and in high demand.
8. Although it may take longer for Mrs X to receive any offer of 4-bedroom accommodation because of the scarcity, we can only consider the administration of her application. We cannot predict the likelihood of any offers as this will depend on vacancies and demand from other applicants.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate this complaint about the assessment of Mrs X’s housing application. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman