London Borough of Camden (25 020 601)
Category : Adult care services > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 14 May 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s contact with the Council and its complaint handling. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons to exercise discretion to consider it now.
The complaint
- Mr X complained about the conduct of Council workers during a telephone call and a visit in December 2023. He also complained about the Council’s handling of his complaint. Mr X said this caused him distress.
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
- In December 2023, Mr X said Council workers were biased against him during a telephone call and a visit to his address. He complained to the Council in December 2024 and then to the Ombudsman in December 2025.
- The time for receiving complaints is from when someone became aware of the matter they wished to complain about, not when they complained to the Council or it issued its final response. We would expect someone to complain to us within a year, even if they were dissatisfied with the time the complaints procedure was taking. I will not be investigating this complaint, as it is a late complaint, and I have not seen any evidence of good reasons why any of these issues were not raised within 12 months of the concern arising.
- Mr X also complains about the Council’s handling of his complaint, stating it failed to address key points he raised.
- Nor will I investigate the Council’s complaint handling. It is not a good use of public resources to investigate complaints about complaint procedures, if we decide not to investigate the substantive issue.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it was a late complaint and there are no good reasons to exercise discretion to consider it now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman