London Borough of Haringey (25 020 431)
Category : Other Categories > Leisure and culture
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 21 Apr 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to terminate Miss X’s allotment tenancy. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.
The complaint
- Miss X complained the Council unfairly terminated her allotment tenancy.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Miss X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X complained the Council terminated her tenancy stating that her plot was uncultivated. Miss X said the photos sent with the letter were undated and she appealed the Council’s decision.
- The Council said it sent Miss X two noncompliance notices in 2024 and 2025 and provided timestamped pictures showing the plot’s condition. It did not overturn its decision.
- The Ombudsman cannot question the merits of a Council’s decision if it followed the correct process. The evidence shows the Council served the required notices and provided photographs prior to terminating Miss X’s tenancy. It has considered her complaint about this and maintained its decision. There is no evidence of fault in the Council’s decision making. An investigation would therefore be unlikely to result in finding fault with the Council’s actions.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman