Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about charges for
Mr Y’s care. This is because more than 12 months has passed since the charges were raised, and there is not sufficient reasoning for the delay in complaining to us.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about charges of over £600 for his late father’s (Mr Y’s) care from May 2020. He says the Council wrongly charged Mr Y for dates the care agency did not provide a service. Mr X does not agree the charges are properly owed.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The charges Mr X disputes relate to a care package that ended in May 2020.
   Mr X complained to the Council in May 2020, and the Council replied three months later, in August 2020. Mr X brought his complaint to the Ombudsman in December 2021.
6. Mr X says this delay was due to Covid-19 and his father’s death in January 2021. I have considered this, and while I accept these events could cause some delay, this explanation does not explain the whole period.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not a good reason for the delay in bringing it to the Ombudsman.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman