The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Mr X’s noise complaint. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons for this.
The complaint
Mr X complains about how the Council dealt with his noise complaint. He said the Council has failed to identify a statutory nuisance. He says this has caused him significant distress and anxiety. Mr X wants the Council to speak with the neighbour to put things right.
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 and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Following Mr X’s complaint to the Council in 2023, the Council explained it had reviewed the noise nuisance records he had submitted. It said there was insufficient evidence of a statutory nuisance. If Mr X remained unhappy with the Council’s response, he could have escalated the matter to us by the end of 2024. But Mr X complained to us in March 2026.
We will not investigate this complaint as Mr X was aware of the issues more than 12 months before he complained to us. The complaint is therefore late and there are no good reasons for this.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late and there are no good reasons for this.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman