Summary: We will not investigate this complaint from Mrs X about the Council failing to take appropriate action to safeguard her late father. Mrs X’s complaint is late and there is no good reason she could not have complained sooner.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains the Council and other services should have identified safeguarding concerns about her father. She says her father’s neighbour took advantage of him, gave false information to hospital staff, and damaged her reputation. She also says the neighbour misused her father’s finances before obtaining power of attorney.

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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 and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council records show Mrs X raised safeguarding and financial‑abuse concerns in November 2021. She said the neighbour paid himself £600 a week and misused her father’s finances. Mrs X was in direct contact with the Council, and her father was staying with her at the time.
6. I will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint as her concerns are about issues that happened more than 12 months ago. I see no good reason why she could not have complained to us sooner.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate because the complaint has been made late and there is no good reason to consider it now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman