Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Ms X’s housing application as we cannot achieve a worthwhile outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains that the Council wrongly removed Mr Y from her housing register application and reduced her bedroom need to one bedroom. Ms X says that, as a result, Mr Y cannot live with her and provide the care and support she needs.

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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 no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.(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 Ms X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Ms X applied for the Council’s housing register and included her son, Mr Y, on her application. The Council’s housing allocation policy provides that adult children may only be included in a housing register application if they have continually lived with the applicant.
6. The Council decided to remove Mr Y from Ms X’s housing application as it considered he’d held a separate tenancy elsewhere. This meant Ms X was eligible for on bedroom properties only. Mr Y, on behalf, of Ms X requested a requested a review of this decision. The Council carried out a review but did not change its decision.
7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint. If we were to investigate and find fault in how the Council dealt with Ms X’s housing application and review, our recommended remedy would be for the Council to consider her application or review again. However, Ms X has made a new housing application which includes Mr Y. The Council will therefore assess Ms X’s housing needs again, including whether she is eligible for a two bedroom property. So, an investigation is unlikely to achieve anymore or a worthwhile outcome for Ms X.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint as we cannot achieve a worthwhile outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman