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Homelessness Maladministration causing injustice
16 May 2006 ‘Miss Palmer’ (not her real name for legal reasons) suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder caused by a violent and abusive upbringing. In addition, she is recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, and has physical health problems. She held a private tenancy in the borough of Barnet, and she believed that living there affected her mental wellbeing because of harassment by her landlord and noise caused by her neighbours and internal building work. Miss Palmer complained to the Ombudsman about the Council’s handling of her application for housing, and its delay in considering the medical information she provided in support of her application. The Ombudsman upheld her complaints. Whilst accepting the difficulties faced when dealing with staff shortages and a loss of experienced staff, the Council failed to recognise that Miss Palmer had made a homelessness application and to deal with it accordingly. The Council also delayed unreasonably in assessing the medical information Miss Palmer provided. The Ombudsman finds maladministration causing injustice and recommends that the Council should pay Miss Palmer £2,750 to compensate for the distress, anxiety and uncertainty caused by its actions.
Date Updated: 13/11/08
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