Ms A complained that the Council had not completed investigations and actions necessary to resolve issues with a neighbouring property which were affecting her. This included the requirement to access this property to clear the garden area and remove vermin.
The Ombudsman’s assessment found that the Council had not completed action to resolve concerns about overgrowth and vermin in the garden. Ms A had also not received a full response to her complaint, appropriate action to resolve the concerns or fully respond to Ms A’s complaint.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Council’s agreement to the following actions as an alternative to a formal investigation:
• Provide a formal complaint response to include the outcome of investigations, and confirmation of the action plan to address the concerns. The Council agreed to do this within 3 weeks.
• Complete actions necessary to clear the garden and remove vermin. The Council agreed to do this within 6 weeks.