Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of his housing register application because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council delayed when applied to be added to the housing register because he considered his current housing was unsuitable on medical grounds. He said this caused him uncertainty. He would like the Council to increase his banding on the housing register or provide him with a different property.

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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
• it would be reasonable for the person to ask for a council review or appeal

(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 Mr X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X applied to join the housing register in June 2025. This is because he considered his current housing to be unsuitable on medical grounds.
6. The Council reviewed Mr X’s application and supporting medical evidence and concluded that his current home was suitable and no medical priority applied. It wrote to him in August 2025 to inform him that his application had been unsuccessful and provided the reasons why. It said that if Mr X was unhappy with its decision he could request a review within 21 days. Mr X did not do so. Instead, he complained to us.
7. The Ombudsman is not an appeal body. This means we do not take a second look at a decision to decide if it was wrong. Instead, we look at the processes an organisation followed to make its decision. If we consider it followed those processes correctly, we cannot question whether the decision was right or wrong, regardless of whether someone disagrees with the decision the organisation made.
8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault in the process followed by the Council. The Council informed Mr X that he was able to request a review which is what we would expect the Council to do.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman