Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about homelessness support. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council’s communication with him after he made a homelessness application was poor. He said he could not understand what was going on. Mr X said he still feels vulnerable living in his current accommodation. He said that is affecting his mental health. He wants the Council to support him with housing.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 or continue an investigation if we decide:

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X made a homelessness application to the Council in June 2023, after his landlord served him an eviction notice. In its complaint response, the Council said it said should have contacted him within ten days of that application. It said it took a month. It apologised for the delay. It said that was caused by a backlog of homelessness applications. It said it was working to reduce that backlog, but that it needed to prioritise urgent applications. It said Mr X’s application was not urgent.
6. The Council issued Mr X a not homeless decision in August. It explained how Mr X could ask for a review of that decision. It said Mr X could apply to join the housing register. It sent Mr X information of how to join.
7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. That is because:
• The Council accepted there was a delay in processing his homelessness application and apologised. There is no outstanding injustice arising from this fault that requires further investigation. The Council is taking steps to address the backlog in applications. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
• If Mr X disagreed with the Council’s homelessness decision, it was reasonable for him to ask for a review as set out in the decision letter it sent him in August 2023.
• The Council provided information to Mr X of how to apply to join the housing register. It is up to Mr X to apply. The Council cannot progress this without a housing register application.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman