Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s offer of unsuitable temporary accommodation because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council offered unsuitable temporary accommodation. She said it failed to properly consider her medical conditions, which meant she was discriminated against on disability grounds. She said the offer caused her extreme distress and led to a deterioration in her mental health.

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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.

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

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My assessment

What happened

5. The Council offered temporary accommodation to Ms X in September 2024. Ms X attended a viewing with a relative. She said the property was unsuitable because it was on the fifth floor, which was a suicide risk in view of her mental health conditions. She also said the property was not clean and still contained some of the previous occupant’s belongings. As a result, she said the viewing caused her and her relative extreme distress.
6. The Council initially said it would arrange for the property to be cleaned but did not withdraw the offer. It explained Ms X could accept the offer and ask for a review of its suitability. In response to communications from Ms X’s solicitor, who also said Ms X had previously had threats to her life in the property’s location, it did agree to withdraw the offer. By this point, Ms X had been admitted to hospital, so the Council said it would offer alternative temporary accommodation when she was ready to be discharged.
7. In its complaint response, the Council said it was too late to carry out a formal review of the suitability of the property, but it offered to pay her £50 to remedy the distress caused to Ms X and her relative when they viewed the property.

My assessment

8. The Council gave Ms X the opportunity to view the temporary accommodation offered before deciding whether to accept it. Ms X said the viewing caused distress because the property was in a poor condition. The Council offered to pay her £50 to remedy the injustice caused and further investigation by us would not lead to a different outcome.
9. Following a challenge from Ms X and her solicitors after the viewing, the Council accepted the accommodation offered was unsuitable, withdrew the offer and apologised. Ms X did not move to the property. The Council subsequently offered alternative temporary accommodation, which Ms X accepted.
10. Although I acknowledge the offer of unsuitable temporary accommodation caused Ms X some distress, we would not be able to say that directly led to her hospital admission. In the circumstances, an apology was sufficient, and it is unlikely that further investigation would lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

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

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman