Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Mr X’s housing application. Mr X used abusive language and made threats when contacting the Council and it was entitled to refuse to deal with his request for a review of its decision.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council failed to award his housing application with priority based on his medical needs. Mr X says the Council failed to consider evidence he provided.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates 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 may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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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. The Council wrote to Mr X in February 2021 to say he was not entitled to medical priority and would not accept his application for housing. Mr X replied to the Council using abusive and threatening language. The Council wrote to him and said he could only write to them by post because of his actions.
6. Although Mr X has expressed his dissatisfaction with the Council’s decision but he has chosen to do so using abusive language and making threats against officers. Therefore, it is unlikely we would find fault with the Council’s action. Council officers should be able to work without being subjected to abusive language and threats of violence. The Council is entitled to refuse to accept Mr X’s request for a review because of the language he has used.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is unlikely we would find fault.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman