Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council has dealt with him as a landlord. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons to apply our discretion to investigate now.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about the Council’s communication with him since 2020. He says it made a decision that his property is a House in Multiple Occupation in 2024, and complains about this decision and others related to this.
2. Mr X said the Council was harassing him and wanted this to stop.

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

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late and there are no good reasons to investigate now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman