LGO Individual Decisions

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

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X being issued a Fixed Penalty Notice for a littering offence. This is because Mr X can raise a defence against the issuing of the notice in court if he considers it was incorrectly issued and wants to challenge it.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of its garden waste and general refuse collection services. There is insufficient evidence of fault, and we cannot achieve the outcome the complainant is seeking.

Summary: Mr F complained the Council failed to take enforcement action on his reports of breaches of the construction management plan on a development next to his home. There was no fault in the Council’s planning enforcement actions. It failed to reply to Mr F in some instances but this did not cause significant injustice that warrants a remedy.

Summary: Ms G complained about the way the Council has dealt with her family’s housing issues. She says the Council did not help her properly when she needed help with disrepair at her private rented property. She says the Council also failed to support her family as it should have when she later contacted it about a homelessness application. We found the Council is at fault and has caused an injustice to Ms G and to her family. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Ms G and carry out service improvements.

Summary: Ms X complained the Council prevented a move to a neighbouring council and refused her application to move properties despite her being homeless following issues with her current property. We did not find fault with the Council’s consideration of Ms X’s homelessness application.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her reports of encroachment by her neighbour onto her property. This is because encroachment is a private civil matter between Mrs X and her neighbour and it is therefore unlikely we could achieve any worthwhile outcome for Mrs X by investigating the Council’s handling of Mrs X’s concerns.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s housing benefit and council tax reduction. The complaint is about matters that have been considered and decided in court, and by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s decisions to pursue Mr X for the debts.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a data breach. This is because it is better dealt with by the Information Commissioner's Office.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms B’s complaint about the Council providing her with unsuitable interim accommodation and the service she received from the Council. This is because there is nothing further we could add to the previous investigation by the Council and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a Discretionary Housing Payment. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault, and it is unlikely an investigation would add to the Council’s response.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council handled Mr X’s council tax arrears. Substantive parts of the complaint are about events that happened too long ago or decisions that were made in court. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s decision to use its policy on unreasonably persistent and/or vexatious complainant’s behaviour.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council deciding not to take enforcement action against access gates erected next to a footpath used by the complainant. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council causing significant injustice to the complainant.

Summary: Ms X complained the Council had not credited payments she made to her council tax account. The Council was not at fault.

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s management of trees near his home. He said the Council had failed to complete the required maintenance work. He also complained about the way the Council responded to his concerns. We have not found fault by the Council in the way it made decisions about work to the trees or with its response to Mr X’s concerns.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council granting planning permission for works to a property next to the complainant’s house. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is not enough evidence to suggest fault has affected the Council’s decision.

Summary: We have no jurisdiction to investigate a complaint about the actions of the Council in its role as a social landlord.