Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council reducing Ms X’s priority for social housing. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council unfairly reduced her priority for social housing and bedroom entitlement on the housing register. She said her new banding did not reflect her family’s needs and that this was causing her increased anxiety. She wanted higher priority.

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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 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))
3. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council’s housing allocation scheme.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. The Council previously assessed Ms X as being in the highest priority band for social housing. The Council changed its housing allocation scheme on 1 April 2024. Ms X’s priority fell to the lowest band in the new scheme.
7. Ms X complained to the council about this and set out why she felt her circumstances warranted a higher band. The Council considered all the points raised by Ms X but did not change Ms X’s priority.
8. The Council also considered the information provided by Ms X and explained how it had arrived at its view of how many bedrooms Ms X’s household should have, based on Ms X’s information and its allocation scheme.
9. Although Ms X is unhappy with the Council’s decision to reduce her banding we will not investigate. The Council has considered all relevant information and made its decision in line with its allocations scheme, giving reasons.
10. We are not an appeal body. It is not our role to say what decision a Council should make. Unless there is fault in the decision-making process, we cannot comment on the decision reached. The law says councils must make decisions in line with their published allocations scheme. The evidence suggests the Council reached its decision properly.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault in the Council’s decision-making to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman