Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s assessment of her housing register priority. There is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about the Council’s assessment of her housing register priority and that its customer service staff are rude and abrupt when she contacts the Council to discuss the matter. She says her allocated band does not reflect her family’s circumstances or the urgency of their need to move. She wants the Council to increase her priority banding.

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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, or
• any 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

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In its complaint responses, the Council acknowledged Ms X and her family need a 3 bedroom property but are currently living in a 2 bed. It said it had considered supporting evidence about her family’s medical needs as part of its assessment. It also considered information she provided about her own health and wellbeing. It said the decision to place her in Band C was correct and in line with its housing allocations policy.
6. I have considered how the Council assessed Ms X’s application. Ms X states her family needs an additional bedroom, have medical needs and also need to move on welfare grounds. The Council’s allocations scheme says Band C is for those who are lacking one bedroom and who have a significant medical or welfare needs.
7. We will not investigate this complaint. The Council’s decision to place her in Band C appears in line with its published allocations scheme. Although I accept Ms X wants the Council to increase her banding and that this matter is causing her distress, there is insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s decision making to warrant an investigation.
8. We will also not investigate the actions of customer service staff. The Council has appropriately explained its position in its complaint responses. Although I acknowledge any rude or abrupt communication by Council officers may have caused her some distress, this is not significant enough injustice to warrant an investigation.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman