Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the support the Council provided after she became homeless. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained about the support the Council provided after she became homeless. She said the Council did not:
• Respond to her telephone contact or emails.
• Help her with her housing register application.
• Financially reimburse her friend under the Homeless at Home scheme.
2. Miss X wants the Officer at the Council who supported her disciplined. She also wants the Council to apologise and pay her a financial remedy for the distress and harm caused.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

6. After Miss X became homeless the Council arranged interim accommodation. As Miss X found that unsuitable for her needs, the Council agreed she could stay with a friend through the Homeless at Home scheme. It also provided information about joining the housing register, completed a personal housing plan and referred Miss X to organisations for support. Miss X complained to the Council. She said communication from her Housing Support Worker was poor. She said they had not arranged payment to her friend for the Homeless at Home scheme.
7. In its complaint response the Council apologised if at times its communication was sporadic. However, it confirmed it did respond to Miss X’s emails, or other workers supporting Miss X. It accepted it had provided incorrect information about proving settled status but said a later email corrected that. The Council said Miss X’s friend needed to provide bank details for it to reimburse them. It provided ways they could do that. The Council said that information could not be provided over the telephone.
8. The Council allocated Miss X a new Housing Support Worker. Miss X complained when she had not heard from them within a fortnight of her complaint response. The Council apologised further and said it was due to staff leave. It allocated another worker. There was a delay of a month in them contacting Miss X due to sickness and leave.
9. Although Miss X is unhappy with the Council’s response we will not investigate for the following reasons:
• There is not enough evidence of fault in the wider support the Council provided Miss X after she became homeless to justify our involvement.
• The Council has apologised for any faults in its communication; that remedies any injustice caused. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
• There has been a delay in Miss X having contact with her new Housing Support Worker which has caused avoidable frustration and distress. However, the Officer has now contacted Miss X. It is not proportionate to investigate this further.
• Miss X wants the Council to take disciplinary actions against the first Housing Support Worker. That is not an outcome we could achieve.
• Miss X’s friend needs to provide the Council the information it has asked for so it can provide financial reimbursement. The Council has confirmed to Miss X how they can do this. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome.

Back to top

Final decision

10. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman