Top tips for making a complaint about local authorities Before we can look at your complaint, you must complain to the organisation involved and give it a chance to sort out your problem. These tips will help make that process easier for you and the person dealing with your complaint. Some organisations encourage you to tell them about your issue before making a formal complaint. This could be th ...

High hedges This fact sheet is aimed primarily at householders who have problems related to high hedges, either on their property or on a neighbour's, and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with my neighbour's hedge which separates our properties, and the council is being unreasonable about the request to do something about it. Can the Ombudsman help me? ...

Children's support services This fact sheet is aimed primarily at parents, carers and young people who have a problem with a children’s support services and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I am dissatisfied with the outcome of my complaint about children's support services. How can the Ombudsman help me? If you’ve made a complaint and the council has looked into it, but yo ...

School admissions This fact sheet is aimed primarily at parents and carers of children who have not been offered a place at their preferred school and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. (If your concerns are about infant class size, see our fact sheet on infant class size appeals). My child did not get a place at the school we applied to. Can I complain to the Ombudsman? ...

Council tax This fact sheet is aimed chiefly at anyone who is experiencing problems with their council tax account and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with my council tax. Can the Ombudsman help me? Sometimes, yes. But there are some matters the law does not allow us to look at: We cannot deal with a complaint about something that affects nearly everyone l ...

Business rates This fact sheet is aimed primarily at anyone who is experiencing problems with some aspect of their business rates account and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with my business rates. Can the Ombudsman help me? In some cases, yes. But there are some matters we are not allowed to look at by law: We cannot look at the level of business rates as ...

Child protection issues This fact sheet is for parents, carers, children and young people who have experienced problems with a child protection issue and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with a child protection matter. Can the Ombudsman help me? In many cases, yes. Where a child is thought to be at risk of significant harm, the council has a duty to make en ...

Special educational needs This fact sheet is aimed mainly at parents who are concerned that their child may have special educational needs that are not being met and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. What is the Ombudsman's role in complaints about special educational needs? The law generally prevents us from investigating complaints where the decision or issue complained ab ...

Noise nuisance This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who are concerned that the council is not taking the right action to deal with the noise nuisance they are experiencing and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Organisations the Ombudsman can look at We hold councils to account for services they pay other organisations, including private companies, to carry out on the ...

Housing benefit claims This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have problems with a claim for housing benefit (or local housing allowance) and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit. The Ombudsman cannot deal with complaints about housing payments made as part of a Universal Credit claim. I have a problem with my hous ...