LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about housing allocations because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigation.

Summary: Mr X complained the Council did not take adequate enforcement action against a business next to his home. We have found no fault with the Council who acted quickly and efficiently in response to Mr X's reports of alleged breaches.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint about the Council replacing benches in a public space. This is because the alleged fault has not caused Mr B a significant injustice.

Summary: The Council was at fault for delaying a review of Mrs B’s support. It has agreed to apologise to her daughter to recognise her injustice.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the actions of a council officer in connection with his appeal against a penalty charge notice. This is because Mr X alleges the officer committed an offence and this is a matter for the police. The injustice Mr X claims stems from the issue of the penalty charge notice and his efforts to appeal against it and London Tribunals has considered this as part of his appeal.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision and handling of Ms X’s insurance claim. This is because it is reasonable for Ms X to pursue this matter at court.

Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about leisure centre membership and payment refunds from 2022. this complaint which was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Mr X could not have complained to us sooner.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of an employee of an organisation attending an event run by the Council. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. The actions complained are not an administrative function of the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about an online form as there is insufficient evidence of fault causing injustice to Mr X.

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 Council’s assessment of a homeless application. Miss X has requested a statutory review of the Council’s decision on her case and will have a further right of appeal to the County Court if she is unsuccessful. It is reasonable for her to pursue this remedy.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Education Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) process for her son. Mrs X has appealed to a tribunal which places much of the case outside our jurisdiction. It is reasonable for Mrs X to submit a further appeal if she wants to challenge the content of her son’s EHC Plan.

Summary: There is no fault by the Council. It is willing to assess Ms X and to do this it needs her consent to an assessment for social care support. We have not investigated a complaint about data protection because the Information Commissioner is best placed to deal with it.

Summary: Ms X complained about how the Council decided not to pay her a year’s worth of direct payments it agreed she needed. There was fault there was fault in how the Council managed Ms X’s direct payments. This caused Ms X a financial loss and significant distress. The Council agreed to apologise, pay Ms X the outstanding payments and a further financial remedy. It also agreed to review the information it provides about direct payments and how its social care and direct payment teams work together.

Summary: Ms Z complained about the way the Council dealt with Mr X’s finances and will. We have ended our investigation as issues around Mr X’s will are best resolved by a solicitor, the records show Mr X did not want Ms Z involved in his finances and Mr X has died so any injustice caused to him cannot be remedied.

Summary: Mrs Y complained about the way the Council supported her late relative Mr X with his finances and other affairs. The Council was not at fault for not involving Mrs Y in Mr X’s finances or in the support it provided to Mr X for arranging a solicitor. It was at fault for delay in actioning Mr X’s request that it support him with his finances but this did not cause a significant injustice. The Council was at fault for the delay in responding to Mrs Y’s complaint for which it has already apologised.

Summary: We will not investigate this late complaint about Mr X’s mother’s transfer to a care home in the Council’s area and her subsequent death after contracting COVID-19. There is not a good reason for the delay in the complaint being brought to the Ombudsman. In any event, we could not achieve a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to refuse his blue badge application. This is because the Council agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about parking spaces which the complainant says prevent him using an access road safely. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: Ms X rented her property to the Council. She complained the Council failed to give the property back in good condition and delayed giving vacant possession. This caused Ms X financial and emotional distress. The Council is at fault for failing to communicate effectively with Ms X and delay in returning the terminated property.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a housing application. It is reasonable for Mr X to seek a review of the Council’s decision to close his application. We will not investigate his complaint about being on the housing register since 2019 without being rehoused. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to pay compensation as part of its response to the complainant’s council tax complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr C’s complaint about the Council not giving him enough time to put right unauthorised changes to his property. This is because it is reasonable for Mr C to put in an appeal to the Planning Inspector if the Council issues him with an enforcement notice.

Summary: Ms Y complained about the way the Council dealt with her housing register and homelessness applications. We have found fault by the Council, causing injustice, with its failures and delays in: processing Ms Y’s housing register application; taking her homelessness application; providing her with interim accommodation and moving her to suitable accommodation; and making the main housing duty decision. The Council has agreed to remedy this injustice by apologising to Ms Y, making payments to recognise the impact on her of the delays and unsuitable accommodation, the upset, worry and unc

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about housing allocations because it is late without good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now, further investigation would not lead to a different outcome and there is no worthwhile outcome achievable.