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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Footpaths and rights of way This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have problems related to footpaths and rights of way that they regularly use, or which cross their property, and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Rights of way can include footpaths, bridleways and byways open to all traffic. I am unhappy about the way the council is dealing with a disputed foo ...

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 ...

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 ...

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? ...

Community Infrastructure Levy This fact sheet is aimed primarily at planning applicants who have concerns about the way the council has dealt with the Community Infrastructure Levy in relation to their planning application and is considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with the Community Infrastructure Levy. Can the Ombudsman help me? Sometimes, yes. But there are some m ...