Three Rivers District Council (25 007 300)
Category : Environment and regulation > Trees
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 05 Oct 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about overgrowing trees and bushes. This is because it is made late.
The complaint
- Mrs X complains that the Council has failed to properly manage overgrowing trees and bushes, which have caused damage to her fence and garden.
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
- Mrs X complained to the Council about the overgrown trees in late 2023. Work was carried out in early 2024 and Mrs X complained again but did not receive a response. Mrs X submitted a further complaint to the Council in May 2025.
- I will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint. She has been aware of the issue for several years and I see no good reason why she could not have asked the Ombudsman to intervene sooner.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is made late.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman