Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint that changes to the Council’s Housing Allocations policy have affected her registration date. There is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains that, following changes to its Housing Allocations Scheme in June 2024, the Council changed her registration date to the date she was awarded Band B, instead of the date she applied to join the register.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We investigate 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 continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code and the Council’s Housing Allocations Scheme (published December 2024).

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My assessment

6. Miss X complains that the Council changed her registration date from the date she applied to the Council’s housing register to when she was awarded Band B (a later date). She says this means she is now being placed in a much lower position after bidding on properties.
7. In the Council’s stage two complaint response, it explained this change by the Council to Miss X’s registration date took place following changes to its Housing Allocations Scheme in June 2024. The Council was entitled to review and change its policy in this way. It explained that priority between applicants in the same Band was now based on the date the relevant Band was awarded, not the date they joined the register. After reviewing the Council’s new Housing Allocations Scheme, its decision to change Miss X’s registration date is in line with this. For these reasons, there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify investigating Miss X’s complaint.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint that changes to the Council’s Housing Allocations policy have affected her registration date. There is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman