Anybody got any ideas or experiance relating to making a complaint to an Authority as regards an unsuccessful DHP claim?

I sit as a member of an appeal tribunal for DHPs for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council - the tribunal is made up of 3 officers (but can proceed with 2) who are not involved in the administration of HB, have not dealt with the application for DHP - 2 of the 3 are ex-WROs and the third is our Homelessness Manager -

we actually get the applicant in (assisted by family or professionally if they choose) we have the papers used to make the decision and the applicant can submit any further information they wish

it appears that Blackburn is better organised than your local authority - perhaps they should set something up - would be happy to talk to them

Yes, that certainly seems a reasonable way to deal with any disputes on DHP matters. The problem we have with my LA is that their services are contracted out and that most of the 'decision' making is effectively made by the contractor (although of course the final decision is made by th LA!!). I really need a way to get them to look again at the way DHP is administered, but that could be awkward as they have just got to understand underlying entitlement! I think they still use the old Discretionary rules as a lot of the decisions do seem familiar to the old methods.