LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about Penalty Charge Notices he received. This is because he could have followed the statutory process and appealed to the tribunal.

Summary: Ms X complains about the way the Council handled her homelessness application. We find fault with the Council for delay and poor communication. We have recommended a payment to Ms X for the frustration and distress caused and service improvements to ensure it does not reoccur.

Summary: Ms D complained the Council failed to provide debt relief advice and did not action her Personalised Housing Plan. I have found evidence of fault by the Council because it delayed reviewing her case and failed to provide tailored debt advice. Ms D was caused unnecessary time and trouble and avoidable delays. The Council has agreed to pay Ms D redress. The Council has already made service improvements because of this case.

Summary: The Council was at fault for poor communication and delays in Mr X’s homeless application. Mr X experienced avoidable distress and financial loss as a result. The Council has agreed to apologise and make payments to Mr X.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the information on the Council’s website about a community venue. This is because an investigation would be unable to achieve the outcome he wants.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the child protection actions of the Council concerning Ms X’s family. The complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a housing application. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Summary: Mr D complained the Council failed to offer homelessness advice and support and placed him in unsuitable interim accommodation. I have found evidence of fault by the Council causing Mr D to live in unsuitable accommodation for nearly six months. I have asked the Council to pay Mr D financial redress.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Mr X’s homelessness application as it is late. We will not investigate the complaint about the suitability of Mr X’s accommodation as there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to end the main housing duty. It is reasonable for Miss X to use her statutory right of appeal to the county court.

Summary: Ms X complained the Council provided unsuitable accommodation following a homeless application. We have found the Council failed to advise Ms X of her right to seek a review of the suitability of her temporary accommodation which will have caused her uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council refusing to take planning enforcement action. Mr X has known this since before 2022 and there are no good reasons the 12 month rule should not apply.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in repairing his boiler. The law prevents us from investing complaints about the management of social housing.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council altered a park.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint that the Council refused to investigate her complaints about a police officer and a councillor. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s child protection investigation. The complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s offer of unsuitable accommodation and discharge of its homelessness duty in 2023. This complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Miss X could not have complained to us sooner.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of staff working on behalf of the Council when Mr X’s child was kicked by an older child who should not have been present. Investigation by us would not be likely to add to the Council’s own investigation or lead to the outcome Mr X is seeking.

Summary: Ms C complained of behalf of Ms B that complained that the Council had delayed excessively in dealing with her homeless application and providing her with suitable accommodation. We found the Council delayed for at least 15 months in accepting the main housing duty towards Ms B and considering the suitability of her interim accommodation. It also took nine months to respond to her stage two complaint. This caused Ms B to live in unsuitable accommodation for at least a year longer than necessary. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms B and make a symbolic payment of £1800 in additi

Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s issue of a penalty charge notice and its handling of his appeal against the notice. This is because Mr X has used his right of appeal to London Tribunals and the law does not allow us to investigate the Council’s conduct as part of the appeals process.

Summary: Mr X complained about the service he received from the Council when seeking advice about his planning permission. Mr X said dealing with the Council was stressful and left him frustrated. The Council had accepted fault in its communication with Mr X and apologised to him. We found the Council’s earlier acceptance of fault and its apologies had already suitably addressed Mr X’s frustration and distress caused by its poor communication.

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to address her reports of damp, mould, mice and a collapsed floor in temporary accommodation it housed her and her family in. We find the Council at fault for failing to address the disrepair which left Miss X in unsuitable accommodation for six months in 2024. This caused significant injustice to Miss X and her family. The Council has agreed to make a payment to her to remedy the injustice.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a parking bay with an electric charging point. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms Y’s complaint that the Council removed her from its housing register after deciding she no longer qualified for overcrowding points. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to justify investigating.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council does not take enforcement action against pavement parking. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.