Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with temporary accommodation after the Miss X became homeless. This us because she could have reasonably asked for a review. Further investigation into the decision to suspend her from the housing register would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains that the Council failed to act and arrange her accommodation when she became homeless and that it suspended her from the housing register. Miss X says the Council are not taking into account her health issues.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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:

• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• it would be reasonable for the person to ask for a council review or appeal.

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

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. People who are in temporary accommodation can ask for a suitability review if they think the accommodation is unsuitable. This is a formal process which is different to the complaints procedure.
6. I will not investigate Miss X’s complaint with how the Council dealt with finding her temporary accommodation when she became homeless. The Council offered Miss X temporary accommodation on more than one occasion, but she considered it to be unsuitable because it would not accommodate her dogs. It would have been reasonable for her to have requested a review of the accommodation offered at the time.
7. Miss X is now in temporary accommodation and on the housing register. She complains that the Council suspended her from the housing register for a period, the Council says this was due to it wating for information from Miss X about inheritance she may receive. I will not investigate this element of Miss X’s complaint because her suspension has been lifted with no detriment to her banding or application date. Further investigation would therefore not achieve a different outcome.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss’s complaint because it was reasonable for her to ask for a review and because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman