LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of reports of disrepair in her private rented sector flat. There is insufficient evidence of fault causing sufficient injustice to justify our involvement.

Summary: Mrs B complained about the Council closing her housing applications. We find that the Council did not clearly explain which documents she needed to provide. It also wrongly closed her second housing application as incomplete. These failings caused Mrs B avoidable frustration and inconvenience and delayed her ability to join the housing register. The Council has since assessed Mrs B’s application and backdated her registration date. The Council has also agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to Mrs B.

Summary: Mr X complained about how the Council handled his mother’s, Ms Y, residential placements’ care fees and its poor communication with him. There were some faults with how the Council dealt with Ms Y’s residential care fees, its poor communication with Mr X and delays with its complaint handling. This caused injustice to Mr X and Ms Y. The Council will take action to remedy the injustice caused.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Miss X’s council tax. This is because the Council has agreed to remedy the injustice.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax liability because there is a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about pollution and odours in her home. The complaint has been made late, and it would have been reasonable for Mrs X to complain sooner.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint that she was incorrectly advised to seek reports for a tenanted home she owns. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault with how the Council decided to reimburse Mrs X.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a breach of planning control. This is because we are unlikely to find fault.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about concerns he raised about his children’s school. We have already considered these matters and will not do so again. The Information Commissioner is better placed to deal with other matters.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about council tax liability. If Ms X disagrees with the Council’s decisions regarding her liability, there is a right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal which is it reasonable for her to use.

Summary: Mr B complained about the Council closing his housing applications. We find that the Council did not clearly explain which documents he needed to provide and then closed his applications as incomplete without specifying what additional evidence he needed to supply. This caused

Summary: We cannot investigate part of Mr X’s compliant that the Council failed to collect his household waste consistently after February 2025 because the cause of the fault affects all or most of the people in the Council’s area. We will not investigate the remainder because the claimed injustice is not significant enough.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about events which took place in the course of the breakdown of a foster placement in February 2024. The complaint is late and there are no good reasons for us to consider it now.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the outcome of the complainant’s application and appeals for education transport for her son. There is insufficient evidence of fault on the Council’s part to warrant the Ombudsman’s intervention.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to provide Mrs X with a disabled parking bay. There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council, and we cannot achieve the outcome Mrs X seeks.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of an application for planning permission next door to Mr X. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault affecting the Council’s decision.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to respond to his Subject Access Request. This is because the Information Commissioner is better placed to deal with the matter.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a housing benefit overpayment because there is a right of appeal to a tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaints about how the Council considered Mrs X’s housing register application. We have previously considered one of Mrs X’s complaints and there is insufficient evidence of injustice to justify an investigation into the other complaints.

Summary: Miss B complained about the Council’s decision to reduce her housing priority when she refused an offer of accommodation. We find that the Council failed to properly record her reasons for refusing the offer, wrongly reduced her housing priority and failed to properly consider her request for a review of the decision. As a result, Miss B has remained living in unsuitable accommodation and she has suffered significant distress. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to Miss B. It has also agreed to make service improvements.

Summary: Mr B complained that the Council did not give him sufficient priority on the housing register and ignored his requests for a review. We find no faut in the way the Council reviewed its decision, but there was delay processing his homelessness application which affected his priority on the housing register. The Council has agreed to apologise and backdate Mr B’s housing priority.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council is treating Miss X unfairly when she places bids for housing as it is unlikely we will find fault by the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax liability because there is a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal. Further, the alleged fault in the Council’s communication with Mr X has been remedied.

Summary: Mr C complained that the Council had failed to take action to stop the use of the neighbouring property as a short-term rental. We have not found fault.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mrs X having to remind a refuse collection contractor to collect her bin. This is because any injustice arising is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.