Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about Council delays in making Ms X’s incentive payment for downsizing to a smaller Council property. This is because we cannot investigate complaints about the provision or management of social housing.

The complaint

1. Ms X is a council tenant. Her social housing was too big, so she applied to move to a smaller council home under the Council’s Small is Beautiful scheme.
2. Ms X complains the Council failed to give her key information about the cash incentive linked with the scheme and delayed paying her £1,000 for releasing one bedroom after downsizing. She says the Council failed to give her a clear timeframe for making her payment and poorly communicated with her. Ms X complains she has gone to time and trouble chasing the outstanding payment.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
4. We cannot investigate complaints about the provision or management of social housing by a council acting as a registered social housing provider. (Local Government Act 1974, paragraph 5A schedule 5, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

7. Under the Council’s Small is Beautiful scheme, the Council provides an “under-occupation incentive scheme” whereby it gives an incentive payment to under-occupying council and housing association tenants to downsize. The aim of the scheme is to help free up larger homes for other families living in overcrowded conditions. For successful applicants, the Council will:

• put the applicant’s household in the highest priority band on the housing register (Band A) so they can find a new home as soon as possible;
• pay a cash incentive of £1,000 for each spare room given up; and,
• pay reasonable moving costs.

8. In November 2025, Ms X moved to a new smaller property through the scheme.
9. She complains that, by January 2026, the Council had failed to make the £1,000 incentive payment or give her an estimate date for making the payment.
10. We cannot investigate Ms X’s complaint. This is because it relates to the Council’s provision and management of social housing. If Ms X wishes to pursue the matter further, she may wish to make a complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. The Housing Ombudsman Service will reach their own decision about whether the complaint falls within their jurisdiction.

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Final decision

11. We cannot investigate this complaint about Council delays in making Ms X’s incentive payment for downsizing to a smaller Council property. This is because we cannot investigate complaints about the provision or management of social housing.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman