Mr A complained that there were delays and miscommunications in Cardiff Council’s handling of his application for a Disabled Facilities Grant, which led to him arranging the adaptations before the grant was approved, and left him in debt.
The Ombudsman decided that the Council’s record-keeping and communication were poor and that there were some avoidable delays, but not all the delays could be attributed to a failing by the Council. The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without an investigation.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Council’s agreement to contact Mr A within 1 month, to apologise for the poor communication, and pay him £500 in recognition of the time and trouble he spent pursuing his application. The Council also agreed to review its processes within 3 months.