Leeds City Council (25 018 006)
Category : Housing > Council house sales and leaseholders
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 09 Feb 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint the Council failed to notify her in advance of changes to the Right to Buy scheme. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault.
The complaint
- In short, Ms X complains the Council failed to inform her of the proposed reductions to the discount available under the Right to Buy scheme. She says this has affected her ability to purchase her home. She would like the Council to reconsider the matter.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Ms X explains that due to her personal circumstances she was unaware of the reductions to the discount available under the Right to Buy scheme. She says she works long hours in a caring role, does not read newspapers, does not watch television and was caring for a sick relative in her spare time. She explains she always intended to purchase her home, and if she had been aware of the proposed changes, she would have applied.
- The Council has investigated Ms X’s complaint. It explains this was a policy change set by the government and not the Council It says there was no obligation on it to inform Ms X of the proposals in advance of the change implemented in November 2024.
- We will not investigate. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. There was no duty on the Council to keep Ms X informed in advance of a change in policy set by the government.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman