Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s offer of long-term social housing. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement, nor have the Council’s actions caused a significant injustice.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council offered her long-term social housing in an area that it knew was unsafe for her. She said it should have completed a risk assessment in accordance with the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. She said the Council intimidated her into accepting the offer. She said the Council’s actions had affected her mental health. She wants the Council to review peoples records before making housing allocation decisions.

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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:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(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 and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council accepted a homelessness duty to Miss X in 2023. It awarded her priority need as she was fleeing domestic abuse and provided her with temporary accommodation.
6. At the end of 2024, the Council offered Miss X permanent accommodation. Miss X said the property was not suitable as it was in an unsafe area for her. She also provided information to the Council that her health needs had changed.
7. The Council withdrew the offer of accommodation based on her health needs. However, it said Miss X had provided no evidence the property offered was in an unsafe area.
8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the suitability of property offered by Council, or that it should have completed a risk assessment before making the offer. Miss X asked the Council to review its decision. It did that and withdrew the offer. There is no evidence of fault in how the Council handled the review request, and as the offer was withdrawn, there is no outstanding significant injustice.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman