Summary: We found there was delay in the council acting on a request from Miss X to transfer to the housing register of another Council. We recommended the Council apologised, chased the other Council involved and wrote to Miss X confirming the outcome.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council failed to properly deal with a request she made to transfer to another council’s housing register. She complained there was delay dealing with her request and the Council did not communicate appropriately. She stated she still had not been told of the outcome. Miss X also stated that her circumstances had changed since her original housing application and these had not been recognised. She complained the issues she raised left her feeling unheard and caused stress.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint. I refer to this as ‘injustice’. If there has been fault which has caused significant injustice, or that could cause injustice to others in the future we may suggest a remedy. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26(1) and 26A(1), as amended)
3. If we are satisfied with an organisation’s actions or proposed actions, we can complete our investigation and issue a decision statement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 30(1B) and 34H(1), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered evidence provided by Miss X and the Council as well as relevant law, policy and guidance.
5. Miss X and the Council had an opportunity to comment on my draft decision. I considered any comments before making a final decision.

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What I found

Background

6. The information in this statement provides an overview of the key events most relevant to the complaint. It is not intended to set out everything that happened.
7. Miss X presented to the Council as homeless some years ago and she lives in temporary accommodation provided by the Council. She has lived there for several years with her child. The accommodation is in another council area (Council Two). Meanwhile, Miss X is on the Council’s housing register and can bid for social housing in Hackney.

What Happened

8. In May 2025 Miss X asked the Council to transfer her to Council Two’s housing register. She stated, because she had been placed in Council Two’s area, she had begun to put down roots there and wished to be able to bid for social housing in Council Two’s area.
9. The Council acted on Miss X’s transfer application in August 2025 by writing to Council Two and asking if it would be prepared to swap a tenant on its housing register with Miss X so she could seek housing there.
10. Miss X told us she was trying to contact her housing officer to follow up on her request but she did not hear back.
11. Miss X complained to the Council in October 2025. She stated that she had difficulties contacting her housing officer. She understood the officer had left and she was not aware of who replaced them. In her complaint Miss X stated her situation had changed drastically since her original housing application and she struggled with her mental health. Miss X complained there had been no communication with her about the housing transfer request.
12. The Council’s response to her complaint in December 2025 stated, if Miss X felt her circumstances had changed, she should report these to the Housing Register Team. It provided a contact number. The Council reiterated that it had sent a request for a transfer to Council Two in August but it expected Council Two may decline this as it had on a previous occasion. The Council indicated it had not received a response at that time.

Was there fault by the Council

13. Based on the information Miss X and the Council provided, we found there was a delay in acting on the transfer request Miss X made in May 2025. The Council only acted on this in August 2025. By December 2025, it seems no outcome was known. Miss X confirmed she still had not received the outcome when we investigated. While there is no obligation upon Council Two to agree to a transfer, we found the delay in the Council approaching Council Two and the lack of follow up and communication about the outcome represented fault.
14. We found the Council had appropriately explained how Miss X could set out changes in her circumstances if she needed to. It is open to Miss X to contact the Council and explain the revised circumstances she is now in so the Council can consider if this changes her priority for housing in Hackney.
15. We recommended the Council apologised to Miss X for the delay in acting on the 2025 transfer request and that it chased Council Two and provided a response to Miss X within four weeks.

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Action

16. Within 4 weeks of our final decision:
17. The Council should apologise to Miss X for the delay in acting on her transfer request from May 2025. The apology should adhere to our guidance on making effective apologies. This can be found on our website, within our Guidance on Remedy here.
18. The Council should chase Council Two for a response to the request the Council made of it in August 2025 and it should write and confirm the outcome to Miss X.
19. The Council should provide us with evidence it has complied with the above actions.

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Decision

20. I find fault causing injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman