Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a housing benefit overpayment from 2017. This is because the complaint is late and there is no good reason for this.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council wrongly suspended his housing benefit in 2017 based on incorrect rent information. He says it then pursued overpayment recovery while he was appealing. Mr X says the Council later corrected the assessment but continued to rely on the incorrect information. In Mr X ‘s view this led to his eviction and caused significant distress to him as a disabled person and his family.

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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. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Mr X complained to the Council in 2017 regarding the matters in paragraph 1.
5. The Council replied in 2017 and did not uphold Mr X’s complaint. It explained the information it had regarding Mr X’s rent and the reason for the housing benefit overpayment. It said Mr X was not evicted due to rent arrears.
6. Mr X complained to the Ombudsman in January 2026.
7. We will not investigate this complaint because it is late, as it relates to events in 2017. We expect a person to complain to us within 12 months of being aware of a matter. It would be reasonable to expect Mr X to have brought his complaint to us sooner. While I note Mr X’s medical condition and circumstances, the delay is significant and there is no good reason to exercise our discretion to investigate.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late and there is no good reason for this.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman