London Borough of Croydon (25 006 393)
Category : Housing > Allocations
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 24 Sep 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her homelessness application and her unsuccessful bids on two properties in 2023. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons for us to exercise discretion.
The complaint
- Ms X complains about the Council’s handling of her homelessness application during summer 2023 after she received notice to leave a private tenancy. She complains about its refusal to allocate her either of the two properties she bid on during this time.
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.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Ms X made a homelessness application with the Council during summer 2023. During this time, she joined the Council’s housing register and bid on two properties, but she was unsuccessful.
- Several months later, Ms X found alternative accommodation.
- This complaint is late, as Ms X did not complain to the Ombudsman until June 2025 (meaning, ordinarily, we would not look at matters before June 2024). There are no good reasons for us to exercise discretion. Ms X could have complained to us much sooner if she wished for us to consider matters dating back to 2023.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her homelessness application and her unsuccessful bids on two properties in 2023. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons for us to exercise discretion.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman