Coventry City Council (21 007 620)
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about antisocial behaviour by a neighbour housed by the Council in temporary accommodation. This is because we could not add to the previous investigation by the Council.
The complaint
- The complainant, who I will call Mr X, complains about how the Council dealt with his reports of antisocial behaviour by a neighbour housed by the Council in temporary accommodation close to his home. Mr X says this impacted his mental health.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Ombudsman investigates complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X contacted the Council after a neighbour had thrown bricks and tiles at his property, resulting in intervention by the police. The Council confirmed that the property was managed by a private landlord, but that it had placed the person in the property under its duty to provide temporary accommodation. Shortly after the incident the neighbour moved out of the property.
- I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because we could not add to the investigation already carried out by the Council. The person committing the antisocial behaviour has now left the property. Furthermore, the Council has provided Mr X with contact details in the event he has any similar issues with any future occupants of the property. The Council has a duty to house some people in temporary accommodation, and the Ombudsman has no power to tell the Council where it should house these people.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we could not add to the investigation already carried out by the Council.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman