London Borough of Waltham Forest (20 004 188)

Statement Upheld Building control 05-Jan-2021

Summary: The Council has conceded there was fault in a building control officer's work. However, it has refunded the complainant's fee, and confirmed it is making service improvements. Although the complainant considers the officer's work was more inadequate than has been recognised by the Council, the Council has investigated the matter properly, and further investigation by us is unlikely to provide a different outcome. For this reason, we have completed our investigation.

London Borough of Bexley (20 003 739)

Statement Not upheld Building control 14-Dec-2020

Summary: Mr B complains the Council should not have issued a certificate of completion for his neighbours' extension because it blocked his gas flue. He says he has not been able to use his gas supply and has had no heating for two years. We have discontinued the investigation because we cannot consider a complaint that has been considered in court.

Leeds City Council (20 002 105)

Statement Upheld Building control 01-Dec-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X's complaint about the Council's building control service. This is because the Council has provided a suitable remedy for Mrs X and it is unlikely we could achieve anything more.

Bedford Borough Council (19 013 457)

Statement Not upheld Building control 10-Aug-2020

Summary: There is no evidence of fault in how the Council pursued the complainant for payment of outstanding building control fees. Although the complainant was vulnerable, the Council took account of this in accordance with its policy, and so the Ombudsman cannot criticise its decision to apply for a County Court Judgement. For this reason, the Ombudsman has completed his investigation.

Wokingham Borough Council (19 019 454)

Statement Upheld Building control 29-Jul-2020

Summary: The Council delayed in issuing a completion certificate to Mr Q and failed to respond to his correspondence. The Ombudsman finds this is fault. However, we do not intend to investigate the complaint as we consider the Council's apology, changes to procedures and offer of £100 remedies the injustice caused. And further investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

London Borough of Croydon (19 011 481)

Statement Upheld Building control 15-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr B complains the Council's building control officers gave contradictory and inconsistent advice. The Ombudsman finds no evidence of fault by the Council in this regard. There was some fault in the handling of the complaint leading to delay, for which an apology has been given, and the Council has agreed to identify and implement improvements in its complaint handling.

London Borough of Bromley (19 005 144)

Statement Not upheld Building control 22-Jun-2020

Summary: Mr B complains the Council was at fault in the way it dealt with his concerns about discharge from a neighbour's boiler flue. The Ombudsman has found no evidence of fault in the way the Council considered these matters so has completed his investigation.

Leeds City Council (17 008 131)

Statement Upheld Building control 09-Jun-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council misled her when it sent a certificate that she relied on to buy a house. The certificate said that structural repairs had been carried out and the work was inspected, but the Council had no records to show its statements were correct. Mrs X discovered the work had not been carried out properly and her house needed extensive repairs. The Council agreed a settlement with Mrs X. In liaison with an independent expert, it also devised a repair and examination scheme, which it continues to use to check for similar structural problems. The Council was at fault for sending Mrs X a certificate which made claims it could not verify. To evaluate whether other properties are similarly affected, the Council should continue its examination and repair scheme. It should also consider any comments from the independent expert before deciding what further action, if any, is necessary.

Canterbury City Council (19 012 724)

Statement Not upheld Building control 20-Mar-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council's building control officer gave her incorrect advice, which led to her builder carrying out unauthorised works on a drain owned by the local statutory water undertaker. We ended our investigation because we are unlikely to find fault or recommend a meaningful remedy for Mrs X.

North Devon District Council (19 011 067)

Statement Not upheld Building control 24-Feb-2020

Summary: There was no fault by the Council in a complaint alleging it failed to protect the public from an unsafe building and failed to prosecute the building's owner because he did not make the building safe after a fire.