Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to consider a statutory homelessness review about suitability of temporary accommodation. The request was late, and it is unlikely we would find fault the Council declined to consider it. In any case the Council has agreed to reassess Miss X’s circumstances and that is appropriate.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council refused to consider her statutory homelessness review request about the suitability of her temporary accommodation (TA). Miss X said the Council did not properly consider all the available evidence.
2. Miss X said her TA reduced her mobility and caused her child distress.
3. Miss X wants the Council to properly review the suitability of her accommodation based on the evidence and support her to move to more suitable accommodation.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

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

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by Miss X and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. In February 2025, the Council offered Miss and her family TA after it accepted it owed her the main housing duty. In September 2025, Miss X made a statutory review request regarding the suitability of this TA.
8. The Council refused to consider Miss X’s statutory review request because it was significantly outside the 21-day timeframe the law allows for such requests to be made.
9. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint. There is not enough evidence of fault in the Council’s decision not to consider Miss X’s out of time statutory review request about the February decision.
10. In any case, the Council agreed to carry out a new assessment of Miss X and her family’s housing needs based on her changing circumstances. . If Miss X is unhappy with the outcome of that assessment and the decision, it is open to her to ask for a review of that decision.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because the statutory homelessness review request was late. In any event, the Council has agreed to reassess Miss X’s circumstances and that is appropriate.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman