Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council has dealt with requests to repair heating in one of its properties. This is because the law prevents us from considering complaints about how councils manage social housing properties.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about how the Council has dealt with his requests to repair the heating in his home. Mr X says when he has raised the issue, the Council has threatened to evict him from his home.

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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.
3. 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

4. I considered information provided by the complainant.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because he is a Council tenant, and we have no power to consider complaints about councils’ actions as landlords of their social housing properties. If Mr X wishes to pursue the matter further he may wish to make a complaint to the Housing Ombudsman.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we cannot investigate complaints about how councils manage social housing properties

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman