Summary: We will not investigate the Council’s complaint handling. This is because we are not investigating any other issues and, in isolation, this did not cause Mr X significant injustice.

The complaint

1. Mr X is unhappy with how the Council dealt with his complaint about a housing register application. He says the Council said it would investigate his complaint but then refused, and he was given conflicting information. Mr X says this caused him stress and uncertainty, and he has spent time working out the correct process. Mr X would like service improvements to be made, so that this does not happen again.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We will not usually investigate complaint handling if we are not investigating the rest of the complaint. This is because there is not usually enough injustice to justify us doing so. We collect information about particularly poor complaint handling practice and report this back to organisations. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), section 34B(8))

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

5. Mr X is unhappy with how the Council dealt with his complaint. We will not investigate as we will not usually investigate complaint handling if we are not investigating the rest of the complaint. This is because, in isolation, this did not cause Mr X a level of injustice that would warrant our further involvement.

Back to top

Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we are not investigating any other issues and, in isolation, this did not cause Mr X significant injustice.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman