Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint that the Council has not reimbursed storage costs she incurred in 2024. This is because her complaint is late and I have seen no reason to exercise my discretion and investigate.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains the Council promised that it would reimburse her storage costs after she became homeless in April 2024.
2. She says she has sent the Council the necessary invoices, but the Council has not reimbursed her costs.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

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 Miss X and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Miss X became homeless in 2024. She approached the Council for help paying for storage costs. However, I can see that the Council told Miss X in April 2024 that her application for funding was unsuccessful.
7. Miss X came to us in August 2025. I have seen no reason why she could not have come to us sooner.

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Final decision

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

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman