Haringey Council — case 202124996

REPORT COMPLAINT 202124996 Haringey Council 6 March 2022 Our approach What we can and cannot consider is called the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction and is governed by the Housing Ombudsman Scheme. The Ombudsman must determine whether a complaint comes within their jurisdiction. The Ombudsman seeks to resolve disputes wherever possible but cannot investigate complaints that fall outside of this. In deciding whether a complaint falls within their jurisdiction, the Ombudsman will carefully consider all the evidence provided by the parties and the circumstances of the case.

The complaint The complaint concerns the Council’s assessment of the resident’s housing application. Determination (jurisdictional decision) When a complaint is brought to the Ombudsman, we must consider all the circumstances of the case as there are sometimes reasons why a complaint will not be investigated. After carefully considering all the evidence, I have determined that the complaint, as set out above, is not within the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. Summary of events The resident applied to the Council for housing, explaining that they were overcrowded in their current property.

The Council prioritises housing assessments using a banding system. Having assessed the resident’s application, the Council awarded them Band B. The resident complained, explaining they believed they should have been awarded Band A, which is a higher priority. The Council provided its final response to the resident’s complaint on 18 November 2021. Reasons Paragraph 39 (m) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme sets out that “The Ombudsman will not investigate complaints which, in their opinion, fall properly within the jurisdiction of another Ombudsman, regulator, or complaint-handling body”.

The Council considers applications for housing in its capacity as a local authority. Complaints about the actions of a local authority fall within the jurisdiction of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Therefore, the Ombudsman cannot consider this complaint. The resident may wish to contact the LGSCO for further assistance with their complaint. www.lgo.org.