Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint the Council took too long to find her permanent accommodation after she became homeless. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement. However, we have upheld this complaint because the Council did not treat her complaint as a suitability review request. The Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early and provide a proportionate remedy for any injustice caused to Miss X.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council failed to return her telephone calls and took too long to find her permanent accommodation after she became homeless. She wants the Council to offer her permanent accommodation.

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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
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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

3. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. Miss X became homeless at the start of 2024. In June 2024, the Council accepted the main housing duty. It provided her temporary accommodation and provided information about how she could ask for a review of its suitability.
7. Miss X complained to the Council in December 2024. She said her Housing Officer had not returned her calls. She said she had outgrown the temporary accommodation and complained about the lack of amenities.
8. In the Council’s complaint response, it apologised for the poor communication from her Housing Officer. It offered a financial remedy of £150 to recognise this. It recognised the limited amenities in the property but said there was no evidence it was not suitable for her needs. It said it had considered the suitability when it placed her in the accommodation in June 2024. It said if anything had changed, she could ask for a suitability review and a new rehousing medical assessment. Miss X did not ask for a suitability review. She has since moved into permanent accommodation.
9. If we were to investigate Miss X’s complaint it is likely we would find fault because the Council failed to treat her complaint about her temporary accommodation as a suitability review request. Although we could not say on balance, that Miss X’s accommodation was unsuitable, it placed the onus on Miss X to make a separate suitability review request. We therefore asked the Council to:
• Remind staff that any complaints about unsuitable temporary accommodation should be treated as a review request.
• Apologise to Miss X for not completing a suitability review when she complained.
10. The Council agreed to the above, that is a proportionate response remedy for the injustice caused.
11. We will also not investigate Miss X’s other complaints about the Council. The Council has already apologised for poor communication from the Housing Officer and provided a financial remedy. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome. There is also no set time for which a council must move a person out of temporary accommodation. Therefore, we would not find fault with the Council for the length of time Miss X remained in temporary accommodation.

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Final decision

12. We have upheld this complaint because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Miss X and improving its service for others.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman