info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk

Case 202016302

Further to my conversation with 'Charlene' just now (on 0300 111 3000, 8th July 21), I can provide the text of the latest communication from my Council, below.

Firstly can I thank the Ombudsman for its insistence on retaining a given reference number - codes employed by the Council, on the same topic, change with a ridiculous frequency, with consequent reductions in efficiency.

I will repeat here that the Council's stance employs possibly-deliberate obfuscation, with the effect callous and cruel - two of the three neighbours collaborating in this case set-about my door earlier this week, necessitating a call to 999!

I received this message from the Council yesterday:

"We are in receipt of correspondence from the Housing Ombudsman regarding your dissatisfaction that you had not received a response to your email of 4.5.21 to which we acknowledged receipt on 5.5.21. 

Whilst we appreciate that you have not received an individual response to this email we would advise that our response of 19th April 2021 remains in situ and I would reiterate that in order to log a complaint regarding the service delivery of a DMBC team you need to provide evidence to show what the team have/have not done in order to substantiate the complaint for logging and investigation.    

I am aware that you currently have two active cases with the ASB team numbered 22795 and 23101 and Case Officers are working with you to resolve these matters.

Should you wish to continue to log a complaint regarding the Service Delivery of a DMBC Team then please provide clear indications regarding your dissatisfaction and set out exactly why the team alone have not met service standards.    We are unable to investigate a complaint of this nature fully without this information."

The Council's response of 19th April is copied as:

"Further to our email of 26th March.  Your correspondence of 24th March has now been reviewed by Senior Management and a decision has been made that we are unable to investigate this as a Stage 1 complaint as the information provided does not set out reasons for your dissatisfaction of the ASB and the handling of your case and highlights incidents you have reported.   

I would advise therefore that WK202110574 has now been amended to a Service Request for incidents that are already in progress/actioned.   In reference to the new incidents you have raised, the ASB team have agreed to open a new case which is currently awaiting allocation to an ASB Officer.   The allocated ASB Officer will be working closely with the Housing Manager to resolve issues and take action accordingly.

In order to log a formal complaint regarding service delivery of a specific team you will need to provide substantive evidence to support your dissatisfaction to enable further investigation."

For convenience, the text of the 'Stage One Complaint' is:
"I rang a number of charities yesterday (7/12/20) with Shelter suggesting I pursue the Council's 'two-stage' complaints procedure before initiating the 'community-trigger'. Accordingly, I can confirm that the service area is 'Anti-Social Behaviour', and that I am concerned with 'Service Delivery'; the conduct of my neighbour, Philip 'Frothy' Bradley, at 157 High Street Lye Stourbridge DY9 8LT has been well-documented as part of ASB case 19914 and is reproduced at http://www.dwaustin.net/dahome2.html (Home Front) . I remain worried about a confrontation similar to that which occurred some weeks ago in which Frothy made his approach (after much threatening behaviour and abuse) which I managed to 'fend-off' before retiring to my apartment; I have succeeded in changing my life-style to avoid further confrontation - essentially leaving early and returning as early as possible, taking extreme care on my return as Frothy may appear at any of two entrances/exits to my suite of apartments or at the door of his own ground floor flat or, indeed, at the door of his friend's flat (at 158); this bizarre situation is obviously 'extremely detrimental' to my lifestyle and probably detrimental to my health, yet the Authorities will not attempt to resolve the difficulty."

I will acknowledge here that the Ombudsman has invited me to call again to confirm receipt of this message, later today or tomorrow, should I wish to do so, and that the Ombudsman will reply concerning the next step in due course.

DAustin