Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how it has applied its process to her housing register bid. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council has wrongly recorded that she rejected an offer of housing. She says the Council is wrong to take the fact it was unable to reach her as a refusal and asked that it amend its records.

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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. Ms X bid on a property on the Council’s property register. When the Council called to offer the property to her, she did not answer.
6. The Council left a voicemail message and an email for Ms X. The email stated the Council wished to discuss an offer of accommodation with her. It also explained if she did not call back by a certain time the next day, the Council would move onto the next applicant.
7. The Council called Ms X again the next day, but when it was unable to reach her, it recorded this as a rejection.
8. Ms X complained she had not rejected the property. In its complaint response, the Council explained this is standard practice where they are unable to reach an applicant. It also explained there is a need for this due to the huge demand for housing.
9. The Council took steps to contact Ms X and gave a warning of what would happen if Ms X did not respond.
10. Ms X is still on the property register and is not prevented from bidding again.

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Final decision

11. 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