Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with matters concerning their homelessness application. This is because the complaint is made late.

The complaint

1. X complains about how the Council dealt with matters concerning their homelessness application. X says they have used their right of appeal against the Council’s decision to end its homelessness duty but wants us to consider other matters relating to this issue that are not subject to their appeal.

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

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My assessment

5. The Council ended its homelessness duty in March 2025 and X and their child were subsequently evicted from the temporary accommodation they were staying in. X complained to the Council about this and related matters and the Council issued a final response in early June 2025, in which it signposted X to the Ombudsman.
6. I will not investigate X’s complaint because it is made late. I see no good reason why X could not have asked the Ombudsman to investigate this matter when advised to do so in 2025.

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Final decision

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

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman