Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Authority’s response to and actions at a fire. There is no significant personal injustice, and we cannot achieve the outcome the complainant is looking for.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Authority failed to tell the police of a possible arson event that occurred on his property.
2. He says is has cost him financially to pursue his complaint.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants.

(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.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mr X had a fire at his property which he suspected could be arson. He says the Authority advised him to contact the police to get a crime reference number. He says the police came out to the property to carry out an investigation following the fire.
7. Mr X feels the police would have attended at the time of the fire if a report of arson had been made sooner, and this would mean it was more likely the police would have made an arrest.
8. We will not investigate this complaint because Mr X has not suffered a significant personal injustice. While I appreciate Mr X has incurred financial costs it was his choice to instruct solicitors to pursue his complaint. He has asked for these costs to be refunded. We would not normally award solicitor costs and therefore cannot achieve the substantive outcome he is looking for.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is no significant injustice and we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X is looking for.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman