Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about housing allocations. This is because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X says the Council has not correctly assessed his family’s needs when considering his application for a larger property.
2. He says his child needs a bedroom of their own due to their additional needs.

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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:

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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

4. 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

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

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My assessment

7. Mr X applied to the Council for a property with a separate bedroom for his child with special needs.
8. Mr X’s application explained the family’s needs and provided supporting evidence from two health professionals and the child’s education setting.
9. The Council refused the application and a later review request. It said the supporting evidence did not specify a need for an extra bedroom.
10. Mr X made a further application a few months later. This included further evidence because more professionals were involved.
11. The Council then agreed to provide the family with an extra bedroom.
12. The Council offered the family a suitable property a few weeks after the favourable decision. As Mr X’s application has now been accepted and he has moved into a larger property, I consider it is unlikely further investigation by the Ombudsman would lead to a different outcome or achieve anything more for
    Mr X.

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Final decision

13. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman