Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about work the Council carried out to his property. This is because we cannot consider complaints about a council when it is acting as a social landlord. We will not investigate the rest of Mr X’s complaint because it is about matters we have already considered.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I shall call Mr X, complains about work the Council recently carried out to his home. Mr X has also referred to a number of other issues dating back to at least 2008.

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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 Mr X’s complaint to the Ombudsman and the information he provided. I also gave Mr X the opportunity to comment on a draft statement before reaching a final decision on his complaint.

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What I found

5. Mr X is unhappy about work the Council recently carried out to his home. Mr X is a council tenant. The exception at paragraph 3 applies to this part of Mr X’s complaint. The Local Government Act 1974 states the Ombudsman cannot investigate complaints about the management of social housing by a council acting as a registered social housing provider. We therefore have no jurisdiction to consider this issue.
6. Mr X has also referred to a number of other issues dating back to 2008. These include corruption by councillors, the Council not responding to his communications, and the Council deciding Mr X should be treated as a vexatious complainant. These are issues which the Ombudsman has previously considered and so we will not look at them again.

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Final decision

7. The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because we cannot investigate complaints when the Council is acting as a social landlord, and we will not revisit complaints we have already considered.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman