Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council recorded addresses for new properties. The complaint is late and there are no good reasons for us to exercise discretion to consider it now. For the remainder of Mrs X’s complaint, there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained the Council incorrectly recorded the addresses of new properties.
2. Mrs X said the matter caused her extreme distress.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions 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)
5. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. Mrs X complained the Council incorrectly registered the addresses of new properties close to her home when they were developed around 2014. Mrs X said this caused confusion and led to lost post, deliveries and other issues. Mrs X said she has faced extreme distress trying to resolve the issues.
9. As outlined in paragraph four, we cannot investigate late complaints, and we do not exercise discretion to accept a late complaint unless there are good reasons to do so.
10. I consider Mrs X has had notice of her substantive issue, the Council’s actions when registering the addresses around 2014, for over 12 months. I have not seen any good reasons we should exercise discretion to consider those actions now.
11. However, Mrs X complained to the Council in October 2024 about recent issues she faced, which she said were a result of the Council's actions registering the addresses of those properties. I have considered the Council’s actions in responding to this complaint.
12. Mrs X complained she faced issues with utility providers due to the address matters.
13. In its complaint response, the Council said it had investigated and believed its actions in 2014 to have been appropriate. It also explained its limited ability to update address data for external organisations.
14. The Council also said it identified learning because of Mrs X’s complaint. It said it would make enquiries about signage and contact other parties in a bid to clarify any confusion about addresses.
15. I consider an Ombudsman investigation would not be able to achieve significantly more than this and there is likely no worthwhile outcome achievable by us investigating.

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Final decision

16. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because the complaint is late and for the remainder of her complaint, there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman