Summary: Miss X complained how the Council handled her housing. She says the Council moved her to unsuitable temporary accommodation and it overlooked her for a direct let. She also complained about the Council’s lack of support, that an officer was rude to her in a meeting and about the Council’s bidding process. We have not investigated Miss X’s complaints about her unsuitable temporary accommodation and the direct let. Miss X had appeal rights to county court if she was unhappy with the Council’s decision on her suitability review request and it was reasonable for her to use this appeal right. We have also previously investigated Miss X’s complaint about the direct let and we will not reinvestigate it. We do not find fault on the other matters Miss X has complained about.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained how the Council handled her housing. She says the Council moved her to unsuitable temporary accommodation in August 2024, it overlooked her for a direct let, and it is operating an unfair bidding process. She also says the Council failed to provide her with appropriate support and an officer was rude to her in a meeting.
2. Miss X says the matter has had a detrimental impact on her and her family.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The law says we cannot normally investigate a complaint when someone could take the matter to court. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to expect the person to go to court. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(c), as amended)
4. When considering complaints we make findings based on the balance of probabilities. This means that we look at the available relevant evidence and decide what was more likely to have happened.
5. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. If we are satisfied with an organisation’s actions or proposed actions, we can complete our investigation and issue a decision statement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 30(1B) and s34H(1), as amended)

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What I have and have not investigated

6. I have not investigated Miss X’s complaint the Council overlooked her for a direct let. We investigated this issue under reference 24010749 and we will not re-investigate it.
7. I have also not investigated Miss X’s complaint about the suitability of her temporary accommodation the Council provided to her in August 2024. The Council completed a suitability review in May 2025. It decided the accommodation was suitable and provided Miss X with appeal rights to the county court if she disagreed with its decision. It was reasonable for Miss X to have exercised her appeal rights.
8. Miss X says the Council agreed to provide her with a direct offer at the end of July 2025 because of ongoing pest issues at her temporary accommodation. However, it has failed to provide this offer. She also says the fact the Council agreed to provide a direct offer is proof the Council now considers the accommodation is unsuitable.
9. My investigation ends in June 2025. The issues Miss X has raised above are outside the scope of this investigation. Miss X will need to raise a new to complaint to the Council about these issues. If she remains dissatisfied, she can contact us again.

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How I considered this complaint

10. I considered evidence provided by Miss X and the Council as well as relevant law, policy and guidance.
11. Miss X and the Council had an opportunity to comment on my draft decision. I considered any comments received before making a final decision.

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What I found

Homelessness

12. If a council is satisfied an applicant is unintentionally homeless, eligible for assistance, and has a priority need the council has a duty to secure that accommodation is available for their occupation. This is called the main housing duty. The accommodation a council provides until it can end this duty is called temporary accommodation. (Housing Act 1996, section 193)

Housing allocations

13. Every local housing authority must publish an allocations scheme that sets out how it prioritises applicants, and its procedures for allocating housing. All allocations must be made in strict accordance with the published scheme. (Housing Act 1996, section 166A(1) & (14))
14. The Council operates a choice-based lettings scheme which enables housing applicants to bid for available properties which it advertises.

What happened

15. Miss X is homeless and lives in temporary accommodation with her children. She is registered to bid for social housing on the Council’s housing register.
16. Two Council officers attended a meeting in July 2024 with Miss X, Miss X’s support worker, a member of staff from Miss X’s children’s school and Miss X’s advocate. This was to discuss Miss X’s housing situation.
17. Miss X got upset during the meeting and left the room. She returned after she had composed herself.
18. The Council provided Miss X with alternative accommodation in August 2024 after it decided her previous accommodation was unsuitable.
19. Miss X complained to the Council in January 2025. She said she felt threatened, bullied and victimised in the meeting in July 2024. She said the Council had failed to provide proper support. She also said the Council’s allocations process was unfair and her position on the housing register was changing.
20. The Council issued its final response to Miss X’s complaint in March. It said it had reviewed the emails between Miss X and the officer that attended the meeting in July 2024. These did not show an inappropriate tone. However, it accepted this was open to interpretation. It said it was sorry this was how Miss X was left feeling after the meeting. It also said it had provided Miss X with appropriate support. Finally, it said there was no evidence it had treated her unfairly in the allocation of properties she had bid for.
21. Miss X referred her complaint to the Ombudsman in early June.

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Analysis

Conduct of an officer in a meeting

22. There is no recording of the meeting in July 2024. Miss X says one of the Council officers was rude and inappropriate. The officer has a different view. He said the meeting was unproductive, but he was not rude. The school provided some notes of the meeting. This states Miss X got upset and had to temporarily leave the meeting.
23. Two different versions of the meeting exist. As I was not there, and I have no recording, it is not possible for me, even on the balance of probabilities, to form an independent view on the conduct of the officer in the meeting.

Support provided to Miss X

24. I am satisfied the Council has provided Miss X with appropriate support. The records I have seen shows it has answered her questions, explained the process and helped her with school transport arrangements. I do not find fault.

Bidding process

25. Miss X says the Council restricted her two bids, when previously it was three. She also says her position on the housing register regularly changes.
26. The Council’s process is that it restricts all applicants to two bids per bidding cycle. This has been in place since 2020. I do not find fault.
27. In its response to Miss X’s complaint, the Council explained Miss X is coming lower down for properties in her preferred area. This is because it is a popular area, where fewer properties are available. When properties become available, there will be some applicants bidding with a lengthy priority date that do not bid for properties in other areas.
28. The Council’s explanation on why Miss X’s position changes on the housing register is a reasonable one. I have seen no evidence the Council is operating an unfair bidding process.

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Decision

29. I have completed my investigation. The Council was not at fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman