London Borough of Lambeth (24 006 678)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 17-Sep-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the lack of progress with Mr X’s application to buy his home from the Council. It is reasonable to expect Mr X to use his right to take court action.

Leeds City Council (24 001 212)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 03-Sep-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council valuing her home lower than she believes it should for her Buy Back offer to the Council. The property was independently valued by the District valuer and the decision is binding on both the Council and Mrs X. We have no jurisdiction not investigate complaints about decisions by the District Valuer.

London Borough of Newham (24 001 948)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 21-Aug-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint that the Council wrongly refused to allow her to buy the council property she rents under the Right to Buy scheme. It would be reasonable for Ms X to use her right to go to court.

City of Wolverhampton Council (24 003 565)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 08-Aug-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about Council delays in handling her right to buy application. It was reasonable to expect Mrs X to use the legal notice of delay procedure and, if needed, to take the Council to court.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (24 005 550)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 08-Aug-2024

Summary: We will not investigate the Council’s handling of Mr X’s Right to Buy application. The complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. It is reasonable to expect Mr X to use the legal notice of delay procedure and, if needed, to take the Council to court. We will also not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council wrongly claimed solar panels were not fixtures and fittings. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council made its decision and in any case, this is a matter better dealt with by the courts.

London Borough of Barnet (24 000 465)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 30-Jul-2024

Summary: The Council delayed the purchase of Ms B’s property during the Right to Buy (RTB) process. We have found fault by the Council in the way it delayed the process. Because of the delay, Ms B suffered distress, inconvenience and uncertainty. The Council will apologise for the delays, provide a symbolic payment and refund the additional conveyancing fees caused by the delay.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council (24 005 847)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 18-Jul-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the complainant’s Right to Buy application. The complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. It is reasonable to expect the complainant to use the legal notice of delay procedure and, if needed, to take the Council to court.

Birmingham City Council (24 005 518)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 15-Jul-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that the Council has delayed processing his Right to Buy application. This is because it is reasonable for Mr B to serve legal notices on the Council, and if needed, take the Council to court.

London Borough of Hillingdon (24 002 945)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 08-Jul-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council delaying its verification of a right to buy application for a Council property. It is reasonable for Mrs X to use the statutory delay procedure provided by the legislation to seek a remedy for the delay.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (23 018 631)

Statement Upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 07-Jul-2024

Summary: We found fault by the Council on Mrs G’s complaint about its decision to cancel her Right to Buy application. It failed to make her a written offer within 8 weeks, failed to tell her of her right to seek a remedy through the courts when it cancelled her application, and failed to make and retain evidence of the request for advice, along with the advice received, from a third party. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.