The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Miss X’s request to move to a smaller property as it is not within our legal remit.
The complaint
Miss X complains the Council will make no further direct let offers to her to enable her to move to a smaller property and has now instead placed her into Band 2 of its housing allocation scheme. Miss X wants to be able to move to a specific street in the Council’s area when a property becomes available.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We cannot investigate complaints about the provision or management of social housing by a council acting as a registered social housing provider. (Local Government Act 1974, paragraph 5A schedule 5, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Miss X is a Council tenant and complains about how it is handling a transfer for her to move to a smaller property. This complaint is about the Council’s management of its social housing and therefore, as per paragraph two, we have no legal remit to investigate.
Miss X can, however, complain to the Housing Ombudsman service about this.
Final decision
We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint as it relates to the Council’s management of its social housing and is not therefore within our legal remit
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman