Birmingham City Council (24 017 712)
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 the Council’s decision to close the complainant’s housing application. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
The complaint
- The complainant, Mrs X, complains about the Council’s decision to close her housing application as incomplete.
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 Mrs X and the Council. This includes the housing application and the supporting evidence submitted by Mrs X. I also considered our Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mrs X applied to join the housing register. The housing application form lists the supporting evidence applicants must supply. I have looked at the application form completed by Mrs X and she did not supply all the requested information. For example, she did not provide all the financial evidence for her and her partner.
- The Council closed the application because it decided it was incomplete. The Council said Mrs X could reapply once she had uploaded all the required evidence. Mrs X subsequently provided more evidence.
- I will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. This is because the documents show Mrs X did not submit all the evidence the Council had asked for.
- Mrs X can make a new application once she has submitted all the required documents.
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