Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mrs X’s experience with the ‘Sustainable Warmth’ energy efficiency scheme. This is because an investigation is unlikely to add to the Council’s investigation.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about poor communication about the scheme over a four-month period.
2. Mrs X says she was put to unnecessary time and trouble taking time off work many times, but no works were carried out. She would like the Council to arrange for her property to be ‘heat wrapped’ and she would like a financial remedy for the inconvenience she endured.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or

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

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant which includes the Council’s responses.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mrs X applied for the Council’s energy efficiency scheme which aimed to insulate peoples home and cut energy bills.
7. She complains about enduring four months of inconvenience by making her home available to contractors with no positive outcome.
8. The Council investigated Mrs X’s concerns.
9. Overall, it found the communication with Mrs X could have been clearer and it apologised.
10. However, it also said that it was delivering the scheme on behalf of the government requiring fulfilment of strict rules and conditions. In practice this meant residents having to deal with four different contractors for the possible works. It also said there was a shortage of qualified contractors.
11. It explained the loft insulation did not go ahead as Mrs X did not agree with having appropriate ventilation installed. It also explained the justification for the visits as surveys needed to check the proposed works would be suitable.
12. It advised that there would be future schemes that her home would be suitable for, but this scheme’s funding had ended.
13. We will not investigate as we would not be able to achieve anything more to add to the Council’s investigation. I note the Council’s contractors advised Mrs X in writing ‘please note, not all properties will be suitable for measures and a completed assessment does not guarantee that work will go ahead’. So as there was no obligation on the Council to carry out any work, we would not be able to achieve anything more by investigating.
14. The Council has apologised for the poor communication which is an adequate remedy.

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Final decision

15. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because an investigation is unlikely to add anything to the Council’s investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman