[Your address]
								[Your telephone number]
								[Your email address]
								[Date]

[Insert Ombudsman’s address:]

[If you live in England:]
Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH

[If you live in Wales:]
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
1 Ffordd Yr Hen Gae
Pencoed
Pen-y-Bont ar Ogwr
CF35 5LJ

By [first class post / email to: [insert email address]]


Dear Sir/Madam

Re:	Complaint about [insert name of council]
	Request for Ombudsman to investigate complaint before Council’s formal complaints procedure is exhausted

I write to ask if the Ombudsman could investigate the following complaint.  I enclose your complaint form, which I have completed.

I also enclose a copy of my original complaint to the Council dated [insert date]. 

Unfortunately, the Council have not responded fully to my complaint within the timescale, set out in their complaint policy.

I would therefore like the Ombudsman to exercise its discretion to investigate my complaint even though the Council have not responded fully to my complaint.  I am asking this because:
[Explain your reasons.  Examples are given below]
* [eg The Council has failed to make a decision on the complaint within the timescale in their Complaints Policy]
* [eg My complaint is urgent, because I am at imminent risk of homelessness.  My landlord is threatening to evict me because of rent arrears that have been exacerbated by how the Council has dealt with my housing benefit claim].

I would ask you to note that I am unable to exercise a legal remedy because of my financial and personal circumstances.

[Include the following paragraph if you have instructed a legal advisor or have a representative:]
The following person is my representative.  Please copy all correspondence in this matter to them:

Name:			[name]
Organisation:		[name of organisation]
Address:		[full postal address]
Postcode:		[postcode]
Telephone no:		[number]
E-mail address:	[email address]
      
Thank you for your help.

Yours faithfully




[Your name]

Copy: 	[Insert name & job title of any person you want to forward of copy of this letter to, eg support worker, homelessness officer, legal advisor, councillor, landlord etc.]










E&W_HB_CLAIMANT_12
From council customer to Ombudsman
Complaint (including request for Ombudsman to exercise power to investigate early)