Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to add Mr X to its housing register as this decision has now been reversed, and we are satisfied with the actions the Council took in respect of delay in this case.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council mishandled his housing application by denying him access to the housing register despite him meeting the necessary criteria. Mr X says the Council’s decision left him in an unstable housing situation and caused him significant mental distress. 

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)
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 any remaining injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement (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.

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My assessment

6. The Council initially refused Mr X’s application to join the housing register as it did not consider he met its residency criteria. The Council reversed this decision, and added Mr X to its housing register, after it says it received further information from him which satisfied it that he was resident in the borough. The Council also acknowledged delay in it carrying out a review of its housing decision. It apologised to Mr X for this and made a payment to him of £75 in recognition of the inconvenience and concern caused.
7. I am satisfied with the actions taken by the Council in respect of its delay and because of this, and as Mr X was added to the register, I do not consider there is sufficient remaining injustice caused to him to warrant our further involvement.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient remaining injustice caused to him to warrant our further involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman