Epping Forest District Council (25 003 469)
Category : Housing > Allocations
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 11 Sep 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to complete repairs and rubbish removal from a property which she transferred to. We have no jurisdiction to investigate complaints about the management of tenancies by social housing landlords.
The complaint
- Ms X complained about the Council offering her property which she says required repairs after she accepted the tenancy and transferred from her existing home. She says she was inconvenienced by contractors in the house and having to take time off work. She believes she should be compensated for the Council’s failure.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We cannot investigate complaints about the provision or management of social housing by a council acting as a registered social housing provider. (Local Government Act 1974, paragraph 5A schedule 5, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered the information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Ms X says the Council offered her a move from her current social rented home to a vacant property under the housing allocations policy. When she moved she says the property still required repair works which she believes could have been carried out when it was empty. She also says the loft was full of rubbish from previous tenants and had to be cleared after she moved in.
- Ms X was an existing social housing tenant moving to another property and her complaints are tenancy matters which are outside our jurisdiction. Her landlord advised her to complain to the Housing Ombudsman service when she made the initial complaint. This is the body responsible for investigating tenancy complaints about social landlords. We have no discretion to investigate these complaints.
Final decision
- We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to complete repairs and rubbish removal from a property which she transferred to. We have no jurisdiction to investigate complaints about the management of tenancies by social housing landlords.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman