Salford City Council (25 016 262)
Category : Housing > Private housing
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 05 Feb 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council issuing an improvement notice to a private landlord for outstanding repairs. It was reasonable for Miss X to appeal to the First Tier (Property Chamber) Tribunal against the notice if she wanted to challenge it.
The complaint
- Miss X complains Council staff have discriminated against her by forcing her to carry out work to a property. She says her health has been adversely affected.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The law says we cannot normally investigate a complaint when someone has a right of appeal, reference or review to a tribunal about the same matter. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to expect the person to use this right. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered the information provided by the complainant and the Council’s responses.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X is a private landlord. In 2025, after five months of contact with Miss X, and after several property inspections, some attended with other statutory agencies, the Council served an improvement notice on Miss X. Improvement notices carry a right of appeal to the First Tier Tribunal for landlords who wish to challenge the validity of the notice.
- Miss X complained to the Council about the notice and alleged staff were motivated by ‘discrimination and a vendetta’. The Council rejected her complaint. It said it had spoken with other people who attended the property inspections and found no evidence of discriminatory behaviour. It noted she had been advised of her independent right of appeal.
- It was reasonable for Miss X to appeal to the Tribunal if she disagreed with the Council’s decision to serve it. We will we not investigate as it was reasonable to expect Miss X to use her legal right of appeal available.
Final decision
- We will not investigate this complaint about the Council issuing an improvement notice to a private landlord for outstanding repairs. It was reasonable for Miss X to appeal to the First Tier (Property Chamber) Tribunal against the notice if she wanted to challenge it.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman