Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council wrongly revoked an Improvement Notice. This is because the complaint is made late and there are not good reasons to investigate now.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council wrongly revoked an Improvement Notice without inspecting her property or proving that hazards had been removed. Ms X complains her property has damp and mould problems. Mrs X says she has been caused distress and anxiety.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
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)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

6. In May 2024, the Council advised Ms X it had revoked an Improvement Notice it had served on the freeholder of her property.
7. Ms X’s complaint to us in October 2025 about this is made late as she did not complain to us within a year of her knowing about the problem in May 2024.The law says we should not investigate late complaints unless there are good reasons to do so. Ms X has not explained why she did not complain to us sooner and I consider it is reasonable to expect her to have done so. I do not consider therefore that there are good reasons for us to investigate now and we will not do so.

Back to top

Final decision

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

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman