Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about housing policies. There is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains the Council have failed to rehouse her family. She says the Council’s housing policies discriminate against disabled children.

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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))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. Mrs X complains the Council have failed to rehouse her family. Mrs X has already had a complaint considered by us in 2025 about her housing priority banding. Further complaints about the same matters are invalid and will not be considered again.
6. Mrs X also complains the Council’s housing policies are discriminatory towards disabled children.
7. I have reviewed the Council’s housing allocations policy, housing assistance policy, and housing strategy. I have seen no evidence of discrimination in these policies. There is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman