Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s response to issues she raised about her housing. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because a number of the issues relate to events which happened too long ago to be investigated now and there are insufficient grounds to warrant an investigation of more recent issues.

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s handling of allegations made by the tenant of a house owned by his parents. The Ombudsman found there was fault causing injustice when the Council gave confusing advice about rights of access and the allegations made by the tenant. The Ombudsman did not find evidence of bias.

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council delayed in reviewing her housing needs and placing her in the correct band. Mrs X says as a result she had to live for longer in unsuitable accommodation. There is no evidence of fault, including delay, in how the Council assessed Mrs X’s housing register eligibility and she did not miss out on any suitable properties.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs B’s complaint about the Council’s failure to relocate her and her family to more suitable accommodation. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr C’s complaint the Council did not adequately consult with freehold residents about erecting scaffolding on council owned properties and the length of time it was in place. Mr C also complains the Council did not keep to the time period stated in its complaints policy. The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint because it is about the Council’s actions as a social housing landlord.

Summary: The Council is at fault as it delayed in providing suitable temporary accommodation for her following its decision that her existing temporary accommodation was unsuitable. The Council also failed to ensure repairs to Miss X’s property were carried out. As a result Miss X lived in unsuitable accommodation for longer than necessary. The Council has agreed to remedy this injustice by apologising to Miss making a payment of £3000.

Summary: The Ombudsman has seen no evidence of fault in how the Council dealt with Mr B’s housing situation, after he became homeless in August 2019.

Summary: The Ombudsman found fault by the Council on Miss Q’s complaint of it failing to promptly, and properly, process her homeless application. It failed to show it considered the need to offer her interim accommodation. It also failed to consider whether it was reasonable for her to occupy the accommodation where she was staying. The Council failed to show it reviewed the personal housing plan, kept full records on her case, or made enquiries on her application. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

Summary: A man complained that the Council unfairly reduced his priority on its Housing Register after he refused an offer of accommodation, and that it unreasonably made bids on his behalf for unsuitable properties. But the Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. This is because the Council has offered to review the man’s housing priority again, and it is unlikely we could achieve a better outcome for him than that. There is also no sign of fault by the Council regarding other matters in the man’s case.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr Q’s complaint that the Council sent him and his wife threatening letters saying they run an unlicensed and sub-standard house in multiple occupation. This is because an investigation by us is unlikely to lead to a different outcome, nor can we achieve the outcome Mr Q would like.

Summary: The Council failed to take sufficient action to promote Miss B’s son’s welfare when Miss B and her son were homeless and ‘sofa surfing’ for around two months, and when they were living in bed and breakfast accommodation for over a year. However, there was no fault in the way the Council decided its offer of ‘out of area’ interim accommodation was suitable, or its decision that it no longer had a duty to provide interim accommodation when Miss B rejected the offer. The Council has agreed to take action to ensure Miss B’s son is living in self-contained accommodation soon and to prevent similar failings in future.