Your neighbour's planning application This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns about the council approving a neighbour’s planning application and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I am unhappy about the council’s decision to grant planning permission to my neighbour. Can the Ombudsman help me? Yes, in some circumstances. The law doesn’t allow you to app ...

Listed buildings This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who believe the council has failed to take account of a listed building when dealing with a planning application and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. The council has not properly taken into account the fact that a building is listed when considering an application for planning permission. Can the Ombudsman help m ...

Exclusion from a school This fact sheet is aimed primarily at parents whose child has been permanently excluded from school and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. My child has been excluded from school. Can I complain to the Ombudsman? In most cases, yes, though we cannot look at any actions by the school, including its decision to exclude your child, or the governors’ de ...

Discretionary Housing Payments This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have problems with a claim for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can also consider some complaints about housing benefit – see our separate fact sheet on this. Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit. The Ombudsman cannot deal ...

Parks, gardens, playing fields and sportsgrounds This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who live near or use council parks, gardens, playing fields and sports grounds and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with the decisions the council has made about our local park/garden/playing field. Can the Ombudsman help? In some cases, yes. There are some mat ...

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 ...

Housing adaptations for people with disabilities This fact sheet is for people with disabilities (or someone caring for them) who are experiencing problems with adaptation to their home and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with adaptations to my home to make it suitable for me. Can the Ombudsman help me? In some cases, yes. By law the council may be respons ...

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 ...

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? ...

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 ...