Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint the Council failed to support her with her homelessness when she approached in 2022. This is because her complaint is late and there are no good reasons to exercise discretion to consider the late complaint.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council failed to support her with her homelessness when she approached in 2022.

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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 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. Ms X said she approached the Council for help in 2022 as she was in an abusive relationship. She said the Council did not support her and closed her case.
6. Ms X complains about matters which happened more than 12 months ago. Therefore, the complaint is late. We can exercise discretion to consider the late complaint if we consider there are good reasons for why Ms X could not have complained to us earlier.
7. We asked Ms X to explain why she did not complain to us about the matter earlier. Unfortunately, we did not receive any response. Therefore, I am not satisfied there are good reasons to exercise discretion to consider the late complaint.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because her complaint is late and there are no good reasons to exercise discretion to consider the late complaint.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman