London Borough of Haringey (24 015 583)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about two periods of time in Ms X’s previous property when she had no heating or hot water. This is because the first period between November 2022 and April 2023 falls outside our jurisdiction due to the passage of time and because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council in relation to the more recent period between October and December 2023.

London Borough of Haringey (24 016 132)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to refund Ms X the landlord licencing fee. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. We are unlikely to find fault with the Council following its procedure.

London Borough of Enfield (24 016 466)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Private housing 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delays in handing back a leased property to a landlord under a private lease agreement. This is because it does not meet the tests set out in our Assessment Code. It is reasonable to expect the landlord to seek a remedy in the courts.

London Borough of Havering (24 003 855)

Statement Upheld Other 25-Feb-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s delay and other issues relating to the return of his rental property under its housing procurement scheme with private landlords. We have found fault, causing injustice, by the Council in its communication and complaint handling failures. The Council has agreed to remedy this injustice by apologising, making the payment it previously agreed with Mr X to resolve his complaint, and a service improvement.

North East Lincolnshire Council (24 009 361)

Statement Not upheld Private housing 25-Feb-2025

Summary: Ms X complained about the way works were carried out on her property under a grant provided by the Council. The Ombudsman does not find the Council to be at fault.

Slough Borough Council (24 010 130)

Statement Not upheld Council house sales and leaseholders 25-Feb-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about the way the Council carried out the Right to Buy process for her. The Council accepted its failings and offered a suitable remedy. We have discontinued this investigation as there is nothing else we can achieve.

London Borough of Southwark (24 011 906)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the handling of Miss X’s housing application. The Council’s involving its fraud section was not fault and did not in itself cause significant enough injustice to warrant investigation. Miss X could reasonably have used her review right if she disagreed with the Council’s decision on her medical circumstances. It would be disproportionate to investigate the Council’s alleged delays when we are not investigating the underlying substantive matters. Part of the complaint is late without good reason to investigate it now.

Eastbourne Borough Council (24 017 286)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council considered him to be ineligible to join the housing register. This is because the complaint is late.

Birmingham City Council (24 018 340)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a housing application. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

London Borough of Southwark (23 012 387)

Statement Upheld Allocations 24-Feb-2025

Summary: The Council has already accepted fault for significant delay assessing Mr X’s application for social housing and further delay dealing with his complaint. The Council has agreed to apologise and make payments to Mr X to recognise the injustice caused. The Council was also at fault for failing to follow its published policy in its assessment of Mr X’s medical priority. The Council has agreed to carry out a new assessment and act to improve its services.