The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint that the Council failed to collect an item as part of a bulky waste collection service she paid for because the claimed injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.
The complaint
Miss X complained the Council failed to: remove all the items she paid to have collected as part of the Council’s bulky waste collection service; and address all her concerns as part of its complaints handling.
Miss X said the matter caused her frustration and time and trouble.
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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Failure to collect bulky waste We will not investigate this complaint. The cost of the bulky waste collection service is less than £100.
Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
Miss X’s claimed injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.
Complaints handling We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s complaint handling.
Because we are not investigating the substantive matter, any claimed injustice about the Council’s complaints handling is not significant enough to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.
Final decision
We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because the claimed injustice is not significant enough.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman