Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s application to join the Council’s housing register. There is not enough evidence of fault causing injustice to Mr X to justify investigating.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained that the Council refused his application to join its housing register after he moved to a new tenancy. He says the Council previously allowed him to join with 150 points but after he moved and reapplied, said he did not meet the local connection rules.

Back to top

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 fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

3. 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)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

6. The Council added Mr X to the housing register in May 2025 with 150 points. This was based on the address history Mr X provided, which suggested he met the local connection rules.
7. Mr X then moved to a new tenancy. This meant he was suitably housed and under the rules in the Council’s policy, it closed his application. Mr X reapplied in September 2025. The Council decided he did not qualify because his address history did not show five years continuous residence in the borough.
8. We will not investigate this complaint. There is not enough evidence of fault in the Council’s decision in September not to readmit Mr X to the housing register. It made a decision in line with its policy considering the relevant information.
9. There may be fault in the Council allowing Mr X to join the housing register in May. It is likely he did not meet the local connection rules then either. However, we will not investigate this. Any fault did not cause Mr X an injustice since its likely he should not have qualified and instead could bid for housing for several months.

Back to top

Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault causing injustice to warrant investigating.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman