Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a homelessness application in 2024. This 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. Mr X complained that in 2024 the Council missed an appointment to assess his homelessness without notice, and at the second appointment it did not grant him emergency interim accommodation. Due to the lateness of the latter appointment, he says he was evicted without time to make alternative arrangements. Subsequently, he lost some of his belongings and was street homeless for two weeks.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. 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

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

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My assessment

6. Mr X says the Council failed to keep an appointment made to assess his homelessness originally arranged in March 2024. He says that the result of this is that his landlord subsequently took possession of his home and he was evicted. His belongings were left on the street and he says he was without accommodation for 2 weeks and lost some of his belongings.
7. The Council arranged new appointments after this event and told Mr X that he was non-priority homeless and did not qualify for interim accommodation. Mr X complained to us in December 2025. We will not exercise discretion to investigate this now as there is no evidence to suggest that Mr X could not have complained to us sooner.
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.

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Final decision

We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a homelessness application in 2024. This 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