Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about actions related to disrepair in Ms X’s property. The law prevents us considering the Council’s management of its social housing.

The complaint

1. Ms X, a tenant of Council social housing, complains about disrepair in her property, problems caused when the Council’s contractors started repair works and the Council not agreeing to move her and her family either temporarily or permanently as she does not want to remain in the property during the works.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate. We cannot investigate complaints about the provision or management of social housing by a council acting as a registered social housing provider. (Local Government Act 1974, paragraph 5A schedule 5, as amended)

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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. Ms X’s complaint is about matters connected to the Council’s handling of disrepair. Those matters relate to the Council’s management of its social housing in its capacity as a registered provider of social housing. So the restriction in paragraph 2 applies.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the law prevents us from investigating such matters.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman