The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Mr X’s housing application. The complaint is late and there are no good reasons to consider it now.
The complaint
Mr X complains that the Council delayed in awarding band 1 housing priority to him which has prevented him from moving to permanent accommodation in his preferred area. Mr X says that this has also had a significant and debilitating impact on his mental health.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
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/care provider has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended).
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Some years ago, Mr X applied to the Council’s housing register. Around 2021, the Council placed him in a low priority band. Mr X also moved into supported housing around this time.
Mr X became aware in September 2024 that his housing support provider should have asked him to complete an independent living skills workbook. Once completed, the housing provider would put Mr X forward for band 1 priority.
In January 2025, the Council received the workbook. It awarded band 1 priority to Mr X from this date.
Mr X made a complaint to the Council in November 2025. He considered it should have ensured the housing support provider completed the workbook sooner. Mr X considered that had it done so, it would have awarded band 1 sooner to enable him to move.
The Council said that it awarded band 1 priority from the date it received Mr X’s workbook as it was not dated. It agreed to backdate Mr X’s priority to December 2024 as a document accompanying the workbook was signed by him on this date. It also agreed to only place bids on properties in Mr X’s preferred area.
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint as it is late. Mr X made his complaint to us in December 2025. But he was aware of the delay in completing the workbook and applying for band 1 priority in September 2024. Mr X made his complaint to the Council in November 2025. But the timescale for a complaint runs from when a person is first aware of the complaint. It is not from when they make a complaint to the Council. We are mindful of Mr X’s circumstances. But Mr X had access to support workers. He was also able to make a complaint to the Council in November 2025. So, it is reasonable to expect Mr X to have made his complaint to us sooner and there are no good reasons to investigate it now.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint as it is late and there are no good reasons to investigate it now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman