Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the complainant’s housing application. This is because there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

The complaint

1. The complainant, Mr X, complains about the Council’s handling of his housing application and says it should offer more help.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 an investigation if we decide any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council. This includes an update from the Council regarding Mr X’s latest housing application. I also considered our Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Mr X applied to join the housing register. He received help and thought he had provided all the necessary information. The Council closed the application because he had not provided enough evidence.
5. Mr X complained to us because he thought he had provided everything. In response to my enquiry the Council said Mr X had provided all the information, but the documents showed he had a bank account which he had not disclosed. The Council said its decision letter did not explain this and said it would change the letter template so it tells applicants what information they need to provide.
6. The Council said Mr X had made a new application which it would process urgently.
7. The Council assessed the second application but, during that assessment, discovered Mr X has rent arrears for a former home which means he cannot join the housing register. The Council closed the second application for this reason.
8. The Council could have explained why it closed the first application and says it will now give applicants more information. However, even if the Council had provided more information, thereby allowing Mr X to submit a new application more quickly, the outcome would have been the same; this is because Mr X is ineligible for the housing register due to rent arrears. For this reason there is insufficient evidence of injustice to require an investigation.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman