The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision-making relating to Ms X’s request for a housing transfer. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons why it could not have been made sooner.
The complaint
Ms X said the Council wrongly interpreted its housing allocations policy when it decided she was not due management or welfare points, following an incident at her home. Ms X said she cannot return home, and the Council’s decision has prevented her from bidding for an appropriate house that suits her needs. Ms X wants the Council to provide her a house in line with her needs.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
In March 2023, Ms X told the Council she had left her home, because she had experienced a violent incident there and felt unsafe. The Council and Ms X corresponded about this matter and the Council gave Ms X advice relating to homelessness. Ms X subsequently complained to the Council. In December 2024, she complained to us.
We will not investigate this matter. Although the Council acknowledged a significant delay in dealing with Ms X’s complaint (around five months), I am not satisfied that fully explains the long delay in Ms X’s complaint being submitted to us in good time.
Final decision
We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint, because it is late and I have not seen good reasons for the delay, in her making her complaint to us, to exercise discretion to consider it now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman