London Borough of Enfield (25 012 153)
Category : Housing > Homelessness
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 21 Jan 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a homelessness application in 2014-15. 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
- Mr X complained about the Council’s failure to properly assess his homelessness application in 2014. He says this resulted in him being directed to mental health services and he suffered trauma as a result.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X says the Council failed to assess a homelessness application which he submitted in 2014. He says the Council directed him to mental health services and as a result he suffered trauma which could have been avoided. He complained to the Council in 2025 and it told him that it does not retain documents form that time because documents are destroyed after 7 years. It says it could not investigate the matter now.
- We will not investigate this complaint which has been submitted outside the normal 12-month period for receiving complaints. We would not be able to carry out a fair investigation about matters which took place over 10 years ago and for which the necessary documentation is unavailable. There is no evidence to suggest that Mr X could not have complained to us sooner.
Final decision
- We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a homelessness application in 2014-15. 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.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman