Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s rejection of a Right to Buy 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. Mr X complained about the Council refusing his Right to Buy application for his council home in 2021. He says that it incorrectly applied advice by the Financial Conduct Authority about the validity of his mortgage lender to meet Money Laundering Regulations. He wants the Council to re-instate his application at the original valuation.

Back to top

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/care provider has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

3. I considered the information provided by the complainant and the Council’s responses.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

5. Mr X applied for a Right to Buy his Council home in 2021. The Council rejected his application because it said his mortgage lender did not meet the compliance requirements of the legislation with regard to Money Laundering Regulations. Mr X challenged the decision and the Council sought further clarification from the Financial Conduct Authority. This confirmed its original advice and Mr X’s application was closed after a final review in 2022.
6. Mr X made a formal complaint about the decision to the Council in late 2024 and after a final decision on this in 2025 complained to us. We will not investigate this complaint which was received outside the normal 12-month period for accepting complaints. The time for receiving complaints is from when someone became aware of the matter they wish to complain about, not when they complained to the Council or it issued its final response.
7. We would expect someone to complain to us within a year, even if they were dissatisfied with the time the complaints procedure was taking. It was reasonable for Mr X to complain to us within 12 months of the Council issuing its original rejection decision.

Back to top

Final decision

8. We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s rejection of a Right to Buy 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.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman