Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s assessment of her housing application. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s application of its policy.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains the Council assessed her as eligible to bid for one-bedroom supported accommodation. She says it did not consider her individual circumstances when deciding not to allocate her an extra bedroom. She also says she does not need supported accommodation.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (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. Mrs X is a single person household. The Council assessed her housing register application and decided she had a housing need for a one-bedroom supported property.
6. Mrs X says the Council did not properly take account of her personal circumstances, including her family relationships, mental wellbeing and the needs of her dog. She says she regularly hosts family gatherings, her grandchildren sometimes stay overnight, and a one-bedroom property would not provide sufficient space for her family life.
7. The Council must offer housing in line with its policy. Hosting family gatherings and having overnight guests are not reasons for an applicant to be provided an extra bedroom. There is not enough evidence of fault in the Council’s application of its policy to justify investigating.
8. Mrs X explained to the Council she did not require supported 55+ accommodation because she was active, employed, and below pension age. The Council accepted this and amended her bidding options to include general needs properties. There is insufficient remaining injustice arising from this part of the complaint.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s application of its policy.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman