Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council has dealt with Ms X’s housing matters. This is because it is unlikely an investigation will identify significant fault.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council lost her documents, delayed progressing her housing application and has not dealt with her need for adaptations to her property.
2. Ms X says the Council has caused her distress and made her feel she is being targeted.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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

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 complained to the Council about the way it has handled her housing matters.
7. The Council responded to explain its actions. It said it had not lost her documents, however, some of what she had submitted was in a format the Council could not access so it had to be requested again. It said other documents it held from a previous application needed to be updated.
8. The Council also provided a timeline showing how Ms X’s application was dealt with. It explained that as Ms X was aware, she was unable to apply for a period following the Council ending its duty. It explained that as soon as that period was over, the application was processed as it should have been.
9. On Ms X’s complaint she needs adaptations to her home, the Council has assessed Ms X’s needs as part of her 2025 housing application.
10. Where we do not consider it is likely we would find significant fault we do not investigate further.

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Final decision

11. 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