Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s response to her reports of antisocial behaviour from one of its tenants. The complaint is out of our jurisdiction as it relates to the Council’s actions in its role as a social landlord.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council has failed to respond to her reports of antisocial behaviour from a neighbour, who is the Council’s tenant. She says the matter is causing her distress and affecting her enjoyment of her home. She wants the Council to move the tenant to a different property.

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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 and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Ms X does not live in the Council’s area. Her complaint relates to the Council’s actions regarding her neighbour, in its role as her neighbour’s social landlord.
7. We cannot investigate this complaint as we have no power to do so. We cannot investigate complaints about the management of social housing where the Council is acting in its role as landlord.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the complaint is out of our jurisdiction as it concerns the Council’s actions in its role as social landlord.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman