Summary: The Council was at fault for not sending Mr X its homeless decision in writing, causing him to lose his right to ask for a review. It should reissue its decision, giving him a fresh right of review should he wish to challenge it. The Council was not at fault for evicting Mr X from hotel accommodation provided under the Everyone In initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the suitability of accommodation the Council offered him in 2018. This is because it is a late complaint. We are also unable to investigate how the Council has responded to his complaints about repair issues in the property as it is located in another council area.

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr Q’s complaint about the Council’s handling of his housing register application. This is because he has gone to court about the matter.

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s replacement of fence panels at a Council property. This is because we cannot investigate complaints about the management of social housing by councils.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the fitting of faulty window glazing. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault and it is unlikely further investigation would lead to a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about repair issues in Mr X’s property. These issues began a number of years ago and there is no reason why Mr X could not have complained to us sooner.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs B’s complaint that the Council will not allow her to bid for a house. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault in the way the Council reached its decisions to justify investigating this complaint.

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s assessment of her housing application. We will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s refusal to pay for all the damages to her property which was leased under the Council’s guaranteed rent scheme. We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint. This is because it concerns a legal contract between Miss X and the Council, and it would be reasonable for her to challenge the Council in the courts if she believes the agreement was breached.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in responding to her solicitor’s enquiries about her council-property as part of the ‘Right to Buy’ process. This is because it would have been reasonable for Miss X to follow the statutory process available to her and take the matter to court.

Summary: Mr B says the Council did not respond to his complaints about his accommodation and that no assessment has been made of his adult social care needs. I do not find the Council at fault for a failure to respond to complaints about Mr B’s accommodation. However, I consider there has been a service failure as the Council has not assessed Mr B’s adult social care need. It is likely this failure had an impact on the Council’s general approach to Mr B’s communications and caused him frustration and upset. I have made recommendations to remedy this failure.

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s assessment of her priority on the Housing Register and her bids for social housing. There was fault in the way the Council communicated its housing review decision to Ms X in September 2020. It has apologised for this error and taken steps to improve the quality of review decision letters. But there was no fault in its decision to confirm her priority band on the Housing Register then. And there was no fault in the way it considered and ranked her bids for properties.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Ms B’s housing application. This is because part of the complaint is late. Also, there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating the Council’s more recent actions.

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s handling of disrepair issues at his privately rented home and that it discriminated against him because of his disability. We will not investigate the complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault sufficient to warrant an investigation.