Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the suitability of interim accommodation offered to the complainant in 2022. This complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Miss X could not have complained to us sooner.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained about the Council providing her with unsuitable interim accommodation when she applied as homeless in 2022. She says as a single person the Council did not offer her temporary accommodation and she was left in the hostel offered to her for longer then 56 days advised by the Council.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 provider has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. Miss X was placed in interim hostel accommodation when she applied as homeless in 2022. The Council did not offer her further accommodation after 56 days and she complained about the living conditions in April 2023. The Council failed to send a proper response until January 2024. Miss X says she left the accommodation in August 2023.
6. We will not investigate this complaint about a matter which Miss X was aware of more than 12 months before she complained to us in November 2024. Although the Council delayed dealing with her complaint it was reasonable for her to complaint to us within 12 months.
7. The time for receiving complaints is from when someone became aware of the matter they wish to complain about, not when they complained to the Council or it issued its final response. We would expect someone to complain to us within a year, even if they were dissatisfied with the time the complaints procedure was taking. We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint now. There is no evidence to suggest that Miss X could not have complained to us sooner.

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Final decision

8. We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the suitability of interim accommodation offered to the complainant in 2022. This complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Miss X could not have complained to us sooner.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman