Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to confirm a telephone conversation in writing. This is because the Council has already apologised for the distress caused.

The complaint

1. Ms X says she has been put to a lot of time and trouble asking the Council to confirm in writing a conversation she had with an officer.
2. Ms X is a landlord. Her tenants complained to the Council about repairs after she served notice on her tenants for not paying the rent. She says she was told by an officer in the private sector housing unit that no further action would be taken. She wanted this confirmed in writing.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Ombudsman investigates complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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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. We will not investigate. The Council has accepted in its response to Ms X’s complaint that the information should have been ‘clearly communicated’ at the time. And that the case was closed anyway a few weeks later. The Council has also apologised for the distress caused.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because she has received an apology and we are unlikely to achieve anything more.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman