Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council has dealt with Ms X’s housing application. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council has not followed its policy properly when deciding her housing application.
2. Ms X would like the Council to make a direct offer of a three bedroom property, in an area closer to her family support.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word fault to refer to these. We consider whether there was fault in the way an organisation made its decision. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. Ms X made a housing application to the Council. It accepted her need to move to a property closer to her family.
7. The Council awarded Ms X and her children what it considers to be the correct priority banding for her to bid for a two bedroom property.
8. Ms X asked the Council to review its decision and provided medical evidence in support of her request.
9. The Council considered the review request and evidence provided and explained why it does not meet the Council’s criteria for a higher priority banding, to warrant a direct offer, or for the extra bedroom.
10. 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 you disagree with the decision the organisation made.
11. In making its decision, the Council took account of the relevant guidance, information from Ms X and its own policies. The Council followed the appropriate procedures when making this decision and I cannot therefore criticise it.

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Final decision

12. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman