Southampton City Council has been ordered to apologise and make a symbolic payment to a resident over mishandling her repeated reports of noise and anti-social behaviour issues.

The woman felt “targeted” by a neighbour and made multiple reports to the council over several weeks, according to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman which found the council to be at fault.

The resident complained to the watchdog about how the local authority responded when she raised issues to do with her experiences at the housing association home.

The woman, referred to as Ms B, also complained to the ombudsman about the city council’s handling of her move to the address, which took place in early 2023, and problems of disrepair.

Following an investigation, the ombudsman concluded there had been faults which caused the resident some injustice over the response to the noise and anti-social behaviour issues.

She first raised the issue of problem noise from a neighbouring tenant in June last year.

The resident made reports to the council by submitting recordings through a noise app and by email from the end of August and through September.

The ombudsman said the council had not been able to show it properly considered these reports.

“In reaching a decision a council should be able to show the evidence it considered and how it weighed that evidence,” the investigator said. “The council has not done that here.

“There is no record of what was heard when the recordings were considered and how the officer reached the conclusion they did.”

The ombudsman said the council also failed to provide any information on how it considered its own anti-social behaviour powers in relation to reports the resident was making.

Ms B had told the local authority she thought “she was being targeted” and that it was “more than just a simple case of excessive noise”.

“Her many emails over August and September show the problems she was experiencing and the distress this was causing her,” the ombudsman said.

“She referred to there being a racial abuse element. The council’s only action appears to have been to refer her to the police.

“Although Ms B was a tenant of a housing association as was the alleged perpetrator, the council has not shown that it took any steps to engage with the landlord to ensure there was a joined-up approach to the consideration of the alleged ASB.”

The housing association moved Ms B from the home in October to carry out repairs. It is understood she never moved back in.

The ombudsman said: “Had the council acted as it should in respect of the problems she reported about the behaviour of her neighbour, it may have been able to take some action. But, even if the evidence had not supported such action, then the council should have ensured she was better informed.

“However, I cannot say, on the balance of probabilities, that Ms B would have been moved sooner or the problems resolved but she is left with some uncertainty.”

The council was ordered to apologise to the resident and pay her £300.

It was also instructed to review its guidance and training for officers on record keeping around the analysis of noise recordings and ensuring it has proper regard to its anti-social behaviour powers when it receives complaints.

A Southampton City Council spokesperson said: “Southampton City Council welcomes all feedback from residents, as this helps us to improve our services. In cases where there has been a report of noise, our environmental health staff will review whether anti-social behaviour powers should be enforced.

“We take all reports of anti-social behaviour seriously and work with partners where appropriate.

“The ombudsman found no fault with our handling of allocations or repairs. The environmental health service has reviewed its procedures and instructed staff accordingly.”

The ombudsman reached their decision in February, with details of the investigation published online in late May.