Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council failing to adequately consider the best interests of Miss X’s children when considering her housing application. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains the Council failed to adequately consider the best interests of her children when considering her housing application. She says the decision focused on local connection criteria and failed to properly consider her circumstances. Miss X says this has caused her significant distress. She wants the Council to recognise her family now has a strong local connection and reconsider its decision.

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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. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), 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. In November 2025, the Council decided Miss X did not qualify to join its housing register because another council had placed her in temporary accommodation. The Council said that authority remained responsible for helping Miss X secure settled accommodation.
6. At Miss X’s request, the Council reviewed its decision. It upheld the decision and explained:
• when assessing whether an applicant met the two-year local connection requirement, its policy excluded time spent in temporary accommodation provided by another council;
• an applicant placed in temporary accommodation outside the other council’s area could establish a local connection only after five years; and
• even if Miss X had established a local connection, it would have considered her current accommodation. As it considered that accommodation suitable for her needs, it would have treated her as adequately housed.
7. The Council considered Miss X’s circumstances, including the suitability of her current accommodation, and applied its housing allocations policy. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the way it reached its decision. The Council was therefore entitled to decide Miss X did not qualify to join the housing register.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman