Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council did not inform Mrs X about what access rights she would have when she bought her home from it. Mrs X has known about this since 2015 and so the complaint is made late to us.

The complaint

1. Mrs X was a Council tenant and bought the property from the Council in 2015. Mrs X complains the Council did not advise her that when she bought the house, she would lose a right of way over a neighbouring property.

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

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My assessment

5. Mrs X has known about this issue since 2015. The law says we should normally only investigate complaints brought to us within 12 months, unless there are good reasons. Mrs X could have complained to us sooner and so I do not consider there are good reasons for us to investigate now.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is made late to us and there are not good reasons to investigate now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman