Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s mishandling of Mr X’s housing application. This complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Mr X could not have complained to us sooner.

The complaint

1. Summary: Mr X complained about the delay and mishandling of his housing application which he says he submitted in March 2023. He says the Council lost his application, causing a delay which has impacted his mental health, and caused him significant distress and continuous inconvenience.

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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)
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:

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement; or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome; or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the Complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

My assessment

6. Mr X previously made an application to join the Council’s housing register in March 2023. His application was delivered and signed for and after a lack of response, he sent several follow up emails and telephone calls.
7. We have not considered the Council’s actions in relations to this application as Mr X did not bring his complaint to us within 12 months of being aware of the concerns, and there are no good reasons for why he was not able to complain earlier.
8. The time for receiving complaints is from when someone became aware of the matter they wished to complain about, not when they complained to the Council or it issued its final response. We would expect someone to complain to us within a year, even if they were dissatisfied with the time the complaints procedure was taking.
9. Due to a lack of response, Mr X complained to the Council in October 2023. He requested an update on his housing application and raised a complaint to us in October 2025. The Council have since addressed his concerns and requested he complete a new housing application form, whilst confirming his application will be backdated to its original date.
10. There is no evidence to suggest that Mr X has submitted a new application form, however, we are satisfied that an investigation is not justified as it would not lead to any different outcomes or findings; the Council has already agreed to backdate Mr X’s application upon resubmission, and there is no evidence to suggest that he could not have complained to us sooner.

Final decision

11. We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s mishandling of a housing application. This complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Mr X could not have complained to us sooner.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman