Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of housing issues. It is too late to investigate some of the issues raised. There are other bodies better placed to consider some of the other issues Ms X has brought to us.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about various issues relating to the Council’s handling of housing matters. These include:
1. allegations of murder, theft, terrorism and human trafficking by the Council’s Housing Team;
2. poor handling of previous housing and homelessness applications since 2017;
3. defamation of various public bodies and institutions including Ms X’s family, Parliament, the Royal Family and police;
2. Ms X wants the Council to immediately provide housing in her local area and to award her significant compensation for the distress caused.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants, or
• there is another body better placed to consider this complaint, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

4. 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

5. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. We usually expect people to complain to us within 12 months of the events they are complaining about. Any issues Ms X had about the Council’s handling that occurred more than 12 months prior to her bringing her complaint to us are late. This would include any events that occurred before March 2024, which is 12 months prior to Ms X’s complaint to us. I have seen no good reasons why Ms X could not have brought her concerns to us sooner, so I will not exercise discretion to investigate those late complaints now.
8. The issues set out in paragraphs 1(a) and 1(c) above fall outside our jurisdiction to investigate. The allegations at 1(a) are criminal offences which Ms X would need to report to the police. Defamation is a legal issue that can only be determined by the courts.
9. The Council’s most recent complaint response to Ms X explained it could not complete processing of her homelessness application. It said Ms X did not provide the information needed about her existing living circumstances or give access to her medical records. The Council invited Ms X to provide the information now so it could consider whether she qualified for further housing assistance due to any health conditions/needs. The Council has allowed Ms X onto its housing register and she is currently able to bid for properties via its online choice-based letting scheme.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because other bodies are better placed to consider most of the issues raised. Some of Ms X’s complaints have been made too late for us to investigate.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman