Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Miss X’s housing. The complaint is late without good enough reason for us to investigate it now.

The complaint

1. Ms X says the Council: delayed progress in 2022 and 2023 on her being able to move into a property it had offered her; did not let her bid for other social housing during that period; and did not offer alternative long-term or temporary accommodation when the landlord withdrew the property so she could not move in. She says this caused missed opportunities to bid for and move into other social housing, so she and her family have had to live with relatives.

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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. 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

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and copy complaint correspondence from the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. By October 2023 Miss X knew about all the main grounds of her complaint to us: the lack of progress with the social housing offer since 2022; the offer being withdrawn; the Council not offering alternative accommodation when the social housing offer fell through; and Miss X meanwhile not having been able to bid for other social housing. Miss X did not complain to us until July 2025. So the restriction in paragraph 2 applies to this complaint.
6. Between 2023 and July 2025, Miss X did not complain to the Council until December 2024. The Council replied at stage 1 of its complaint procedure in January 2025. Miss X did not ask the Council to take the complaint to the second stage of its procedure until June 2025. She then came to us after receiving the Council’s final response.
7. I am mindful Miss X’s living arrangements have been difficult, and her family has expanded since the events complained of. However, I do not consider those are good enough reasons for such a long delay complaining to us about an important matter. I see no other reason Miss X’s circumstances would reasonably have prevented her complaining to us before now. Also, information about how to complain about councils, including to the Ombudsman, is widely available. Had Miss X complained to the Council sooner, it is likely the Council would have responded and directed her to us sooner. In all the circumstances, I do not see good enough reason to accept this late complaint now.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because it is late without good enough reason for us to accept it now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman