LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: Mr X complained the Council took too long to assess his housing benefit entitlement which resulted in large benefit overpayments. The Council was entitled to reassess Mr X’s entitlement based on new relevant evidence and Mr X had a right of appeal if he disagreed with the decision. But it failed to take action promised in response to Mr X’s complaint and that was fault and caused continued uncertainty. The Council should now discuss with Mr X how it will assess his future income.

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: We will not investigate this complaint about the liability for council tax and the dispute about the arrears on an account. This is because the complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a Council decision to remove her housing register emergency priority status. There is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice and the Council’s handling of parking restriction signage at events hosted by a third party. This is because it is reasonable to expect Mr X to appeal the matter to London Tribunals.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the complainant’s housing application because it is a late complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s requirement that the complainant leaves his bins at the edge of a public footpath instead of at the edge of his property. We have not seen enough evidence of fault in the Council’s actions to justify an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about damage to Mr X's car as this is a matter for the courts. Mr X can appeal to the independent tribunal about the penalty charge notice aspect of his complaint.

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice because the complainant appealed to the tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about an unsuccessful application for a blue badge because the Council will offer a mobility assessment.

Summary: Mr X complained the Council had failed to tell him his aunt (Miss Y) would be liable for some of the costs of residential care arranged for her by the Council. We found fault with the Council for not providing Mr X with enough information about charging for Miss Y’s residential care services. The Council’s fault caused injustice to Miss Y and Mr X. The Council has agreed to apologise, discuss a payment plan with Mr X and make payments to recognise Miss Y’s and Mr X’s distress. The Council has also agreed to carry out some service improvements.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and because the complainant could have appealed to the tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a homelessness application. Dr K has the right to appeal to the County Court and it is reasonable to expect him to do so.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint that the Council wrongly issued her several penalty charge notices. This is because the Council has cancelled the PCNs and taken steps to ensure it does not issue her anymore. This provides a suitable remedy for the complaint and it is unlikely further investigation would achieve anything more.

Summary: Ms O complained on behalf of Ms X that the Council failed to award Ms X the correct priority under its previous housing allocations policy. Ms O said Ms X may have been able to obtain housing before the policy changed in 2022. Ms O said it caused Ms X unnecessary and avoidable distress. We do not find the Council at fault.

Summary: Ms C complains the Council has failed to renew her Blue Badge application. The Council is at fault for delay, and failing to provide proper reasons for rejecting Ms C’s review. This has caused Ms C uncertainty about whether the Council has properly considered her review request and her time and trouble in escalating her complaint. To remedy the complaint the Council has agreed to apologise to Ms C, and make service improvements.

Summary: Miss X complained about the significant disrepair issues in her temporary accommodation. She said there have been significant delays in repairing the issues and some issues remain outstanding. Miss X also said the Council’s communication has been poor. We find the Council was at fault. This caused significant distress to Miss X. We make several recommendations to address this injustice caused by fault.

Summary: We cannot not investigate this complaint the Council failed to address disrepair in the complainant’s property. This is because we have no remit to consider complaints about the management of social housing.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of a penalty charge notice. This is because it would be reasonable for Mrs X to apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court to challenge the Council’s escalation of the case.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of a penalty charge notice. This is because it would be reasonable for Miss X to take the matter to the Traffic Enforcement Centre, which is part of Northampton County Court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the escalation of a penalty charge notice as there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to justify our involvement.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about fixed penalty notices for fly tipping as the complaint is made late and there are not good reasons to investigate now.

Summary: Ms X complains about the way the Council dealt with her housing benefit application, a homelessness application, served a hazard awareness notice on her landlord and responded to her complaints causing distress. We have found no evidence of fault in the way the Council issued a hazard awareness notice on Ms X’s landlord. The Council has accepted it was at fault in responding to Ms X’s complaints about its actions. It has already apologised and offered a payment to acknowledge the time and trouble caused. We have ended our investigation into Ms X’s complaints about her housing benefit

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to provide him a resident’s parking permit. This is because we are unlikely to find fault. In any case we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X is seeking and there is therefore no worthwhile outcome achievable.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to award her housing application medical priority and that it had ignored her request to bid on three-bedroom properties. This is because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused.