Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about house numbering because it is late without good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

The complaint

1. Mr Y complained the Council has failed to alter the numbering on his street, which has led to a duplication of numbers on his road. Mr Y says the Council has said he can apply for a change in the numbering, but he is unhappy that there would be charges for this.
2. Mr Y says the issue causes confusion and leads to repeated incidents of parcels being sent to his address, including in the middle of the night, which are not for him.

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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)

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information Mr Y provided and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mr Y says the issue he has complained about has been happening now for several years. He says he has been disturbed by parcels being delivered throughout the day and night which ought to have been delivered to a different property due to the confusion of the numbering system.
7. The law says people should normally complain to us within 12 months of becoming aware of an issue. Complaints brought to the Ombudsman more than 12 months after someone becomes aware of something a council has done are considered late. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons.
8. Mr Y’s was aware of his reason to complain about the Council’s actions when he originally complained to the Council in 2022 and when the Council said he could apply for a change in the address, but there would be charges in 2023, more than 12 months ago. Consequently, his complaint is now late.
9. We have discretion to disapply the rule outlined in paragraph four where we decide there are good reasons. Mr Y has not provided any good reasons why he did not bring her complaint to us within 12 months of knowing about the matter. It is reasonable to expect him to have complained sooner, particularly as he was able to continue to contact the Council about the matter. As there is not good reason to exercise discretion to investigate this late complaint now, we will not investigate.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr Y’s complaint because it is late without good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman