Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a dropped kerb. This is because the complaint is late and it would be reasonable for Mr X to have complained to us sooner.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council failed to correctly install a dropped kerb. He says it does not align with the entrance to his garage. He also complains about the Council’s handling of the issue and says this has caused him stress and financial strain.

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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 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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
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 the 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 Mr X and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. Mr X says the Council installed a dropped kerb over 15 years ago. He says the Council paid for it and it was supposed to be in alignment with his garage. He complained to the Council in August 2025.
8. The Council considered his complaint and explained that the kerb layout had remained the same since 2009. It said that if Mr X wants to change its position, he can apply to the Council to do so.
9. Mr X complained to us in October 2025, more than 15 years after he first became aware of the kerb’s position. The complaint is therefore late. I have seen no good reason for the delay in bringing the complaint to us.
10. Mr X is also unhappy with the information the Council gave him. But it is not a good use of public resources to look at the Council’s complaints handling if we are not going to look at the substantive issue complained about. We will not therefore investigate this issue separately.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate this complaint. This is because the complaint is late and it would have been reasonable for Mr X to complain to us sooner.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman