London Borough of Enfield (25 009 102)
Category : Housing > Allocations
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 11 Dec 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to place Miss X in suitable accommodation or to inform her of her right to review. This is because the complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate.
The complaint
- Miss X complains the Council placed her in unsuitable accommodation in 2016 and failed to inform her of her right to review.
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 Miss X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X complained to the Council that it had failed to place her in suitable housing when she approached it 2016 for housing assistance. She also complained that the Council failed to make her aware of her right to a review of its decision.
- The Council did not uphold Miss X’s complaint, stating that it had placed her in suitable accommodation in her preferred location. The Council said Miss X was aware of her right to review and had recently used it before later withdrawing it.
- Miss X wants us to find the Council at fault. The Ombudsman will not exercise discretion to investigate late complaints unless there are good reasons to do so.
A late complaint is a complaint where the complainant has been aware of the events complained about for more than 12 months. In this case, Miss X has been aware she was in accommodation she was unhappy with since 2016. It would have been reasonable for her to complain or request information about how to appeal the Council’s decision much sooner. In any event, she is now aware of the right to review and has chosen not to use it. Therefore, there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because the complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman