Your tenant's claims for housing benefit (complaining as a landlord) This fact sheet is aimed primarily at landlords whose tenants are experiencing problems with their housing benefit and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. My tenant cannot pay his rent as he has problems with his housing benefit claim. Can the Ombudsman help me? We would normally expect tenants who have probl ...

Trading standards This fact sheet is aimed primarily at anyone who is dissatisfied with the way a council’s trading standards office has dealt with their complaint about a trader, or the way in which a council has carried out its investigative, monitoring and enforcement work, and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. A local trader has broken consumer protection law and I have ...

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 ...

Complaints about how your planning application is dealt with This fact sheet is aimed primarily at planning applicants who have concerns about the way the council has dealt with their planning application and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with my application for planning permission - can the Ombudsman help me? In many cases, no. This is because, by law, ...

Commissioner and senior staff profiles The Commission Picture Member biography Amerdeep Somal Amerdeep Somal Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman & Chair of the Commission Amerdeep joined us in February 2024, taking on the role of Ombudsman alongside her positions as Board Chair of the Law Society and as a Judge of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (not currently sitting). Amerdeep brings ...

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? ...

The children’s statutory complaints procedure This fact sheet is for people who wish to make, or have already made, a complaint about a council's Children’s Service. It advises you on the way the council should deal with your complaint and when you can ask us to consider it. How will the council consider my complaint? Many complaints about children’s services can be considered under a special thr ...

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? ...

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 ...