Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with disrepair issues at her private rented property. The complaint is late and there are no good reasons the late complaint rule should not apply.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council has not provided her with support for disrepairs in her private rented property.
2. She wants the Council to use enforcement powers against her landlord.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out powers but also imposes limits on what we can investigate.
4. 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

5. I considered information provided by Ms X and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. Ms X complained to the Council in November 2022 about disrepair and her landlords’ actions since 2020. The Council replied at stage one of its complaints’ procedure in February 2023 and Stage 2 in October 2023. It signposted Ms X to the Ombudsman as part of its response. Ms X complained to us in February 2025.
8. Ms X has known about the matters she complains of for more than 12 months. The Ombudsman will not usually exercise discretion to investigate complaints about events that took place more than 12 months ago unless there is good reason for delay. There is no evidence Ms X could not have complained to us earlier and there are no good reasons we should exercise discretion to consider the complaint now.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint as there are no good reasons the late complaint rule should not apply.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman