The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of Miss X’s request for larger temporary accommodation. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.
The complaint
Miss X says her current temporary accommodation is unsuitable because she is pregnant and needs to move to a larger property than her one-bedroom one before her baby is born.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word fault to refer to these. We consider whether there was fault in the way an organisation made its decision. If there was no fault in the decision making, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), 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 lives in a 1-bedroom flat which was allocated to her as temporary accommodation under her homeless application. She says it is now unsuitable for her needs because she already shares the accommodation with her young daughter and is now expecting another child. She asked the Council to move her to larger accommodation before the baby is born.
The Council says she is currently adequately housed for her family size and will not consider her for larger accommodation until the baby is born. She has been placed on the internal transfer list for a move but has low priority at present. Her application will be updated when her circumstances change. The Council asked Miss X to provide medical evidence to support her application because she believes she should have some medical priority.
Miss X reported some repair issues in January to the Council and it says these were completed before she requested a larger flat. We will not uphold a complaint if the council has followed proper procedures, relevant legislation and guidance and taken account of all the information provided, even if an applicant believes that the council should have given more priority to the application to move. It may be the case that, although they need to move urgently, there are other applicants who have an even greater need.
In this case Miss X’s accommodation was allocated for her needs at the time and when her circumstances change the Council says it will increase her priority for more suitable accommodation.
Final decision
We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of Miss X’s request for larger temporary accommodation. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman