Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a homelessness application in 2018. This is because the complaint is late, and I see no reason why it could not have been made sooner.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I will call Miss X, complains about how the Council dealt with a housing application she made in 2018. She says she asked the Council to review its decision that she did not have a priority need for housing but did not receive a response.

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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.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Miss X submitted a homelessness application. The Council wrote to Miss X in March 2018, to say that she did not have a priority need. Miss X asked for a review of this decision in late 2018. In early 2019, the Council rejected her review request because it was late. Miss X says she did not receive this letter.
7. I will not investigate Miss X’s complaint. This is because the complaint is made late. I see no good reason why Miss X could not have contacted the Council to chase a response to her review request in 2019. Some four years have now passed and there are no grounds to investigate them now.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because it is made late.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman