London Borough of Brent (24 016 451)
Category : Other Categories > Leisure and culture
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 15 Jan 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about how the Council installed a shed on her allotment. This is because the complaint is late.
The complaint
- Ms X complained the Council incorrectly installed a shed on her allotment in 2008. Ms X said she is unable to conduct repairs since a neighbouring plot erected a shed in 2020.
- Ms X said the matter caused her distress.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s original installation of a shed on her allotment in 2008. The law says we can only investigate complaints up to 12 months prior to a matter being brought to the Ombudsman. Ms X was aware of the issues in 2020 when an adjoining plot built a shed. Ms X complained to the Ombudsman in late 2024. Therefore, this complaint is late, and I have seen no good reasons Ms X could not have brought her complaint to the Ombudsman sooner. Therefore, we will not investigate this complaint.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons to investigate now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman