The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the assessment of her housing register application. The Council has reviewed the application and awarded Miss X the priority band she wanted, so further investigation would not achieve a worthwhile outcome.
The complaint
Miss X complains the Council wrongly assessed her housing register application. She says the Council failed to properly consider medical and welfare evidence and wrongly decided she did not qualify for a higher priority band because she lacked a local connection.
Miss X wants the Council to reassess her application and award Band A or A6 priority.
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 or continue an investigation if we decide there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
The Council initially refused Miss X’s housing register application because it decided she did not have a qualifying local connection or housing need. Following a review request, the Council accepted Miss X onto its housing register and awarded Band C4. It said Miss X did not qualify for a higher band because she did not meet the local connection requirements for those bands.
After receiving further medical evidence, the Council reconsidered Miss X’s priority banding. It decided to award exceptional priority and increased her banding to Band A6.
Miss X wanted the Council to review its decision and award Band A or A6 priority. The Council has now done this. Therefore, further investigation would not achieve a worthwhile outcome.
Final decision
We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because further investigation would not achieve a worthwhile outcome.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman