Decision report 201101725

Summary
Mr C complained that after he applied for a grant in 2008 the council failed to return the original title deeds for his house and supporting documentation. He said he only became aware of this in 2011 following a further grant application. He said that a council officer uplifted the original documentation and failed to return it, or send it to Registers of Scotland (ROS) where the title to his home was to be amended following the grant application. He also considered that he should have received acknowledgement that the £30 fee for making these amendments had been paid.

The council explained that they made a full search of their records and returned the only documentation they held - a copy of the title deeds. They pointed out that their procedures at the time only required that they obtain a copy of the deeds to support a grant application. They provided us with copies of correspondence sent to Mr C at the time of the grant application, which explained that the council would contact ROS to request amendment to the title to show the grant restrictions. They also explained that the £30 fee would be deducted from the grant at source.

We found no evidence to support Mr C's view that he supplied his original title deeds or that the council should have forwarded these to ROS. ROS have confirmed that the title was amended. As the council explained the process to Mr C at the time, and as there is no evidence to show that they failed to follow the correct process, we did not uphold the complaint.