The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council handled his application to join the housing register and reviewed his banding. This is because the complaint is late and there is no good reason to investigate now.
The complaint
Mr X complains that the Council cancelled his application to join the housing register in 2020 and later told him to put in another. He says this meant he missed the opportunity to be offered a home. He says the Council wrongly downgraded his banding, which means he has little prospect of being rehoused.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
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 the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr X complains about the Council's handling of his application to join the housing register in 2020. The Council apologised for the error. It said that Mr X would not have been offered any properties during the time he missed on the housing register. Mr X says this error also impacted his application in 2021. He did not appeal the decision at the time.
Mr X says the Council wrongly downgraded his banding in 2023. The Council said it had temporarily moved him as he was at risk of homelessness. Once the situation was resolved, he was moved back to the original banding.
Mr X says the Council did not properly consider medical information to review his banding in February 2024. The Council says that it did. Mr X did not ask for a review at the time.
I will not investigate this complaint because it is late. All matters Mr X complains of occurred more than 12 months before he brought his complaint to us. I consider he could have complained sooner and there is no good reason to investigate now.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it could have been raised sooner and there is no good reason to investigate now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman