Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with a noise report. This is because the complaint is made late and I see no good reason why it could not have been made sooner.

The complaint

1. X complains about how the Council dealt with their report of a noise nuisance, and about how it dealt with their subsequent complaint about the matter.

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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. I will not investigate X’s complaint because it is made late. X reported the noise issue in early 2025 and the Council responded to X’s complaint in May 2025. I see no good reason why X could not have asked the Ombudsman to investigate the matter sooner.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate X’s complaint because it is made late.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman