Birmingham City Council (24 016 991)
Category : Housing > Allocations
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 03 Mar 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about an unsuccessful housing application. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
The complaint
- The complainant, Mr X, complains the Council closed his housing application as incomplete. He says the Council should have asked for the evidence. He wants the Council to explain what information it needs and reconsider his application.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate 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 an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council. This includes Mr X’s housing application and the supporting evidence he provided. I also considered our Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X applied to join the housing register. The application form lists the supporting evidence applicants must supply. This includes proof of identity, proof of address and financial records for the previous three months. Mr X submitted one piece of evidence; this did not include all the required information.
- The Council closed the application. The decision letter explained what evidence Mr X needed to supply and said he could reapply once he had provided everything. The Council told me Mr X has not provided the outstanding evidence.
- I will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. I have considered Mr X’s application, and the evidence he submitted, and he did not supply everything requested on the form. As such, there is insufficient evidence of fault to require an investigation.
- Mr X can submit a new housing application once he provides all the information the Council highlighted in its letter which closed the first application.
Final decision
- We will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman