Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a delay reviewing her housing register priority. It is unlikely an investigation would lead to a different outcome or achieve anything more.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council delayed reviewing her housing register medical priority request for 10 months. She says this means she missed out on being offered two suitable properties. She wants the Council to offer her a suitable property in her preferred area.

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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:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(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 its complaint response, the Council acknowledged that there had been some poor communication and it had delayed completing the review. It offered her £300 in recognition of the distress and inconvenience caused by the delay. Shortly after the response, it completed its review and awarded Ms X medical priority.
6. In response to my enquiries, the Council confirmed that the delay completing the review did not lead to Ms X missing out on an offer of a property. This is because although properties did become available in Ms X’s preferred area, they were not suitable for her medical needs and so would not have been considered. It confirmed that since bringing her complaint to us, Ms X has now moved to a new property.
7. We will not investigate this complaint. The Council has accepted it delayed reviewing her medical priority request and offered Ms X a suitable remedy for the distress caused by this. Ms X has now moved to a new property. It is unlikely that an investigation by us could add to the Council’s response or lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because it is unlikely an investigation could add to the Council’s response or lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman