City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (19 012 973)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 25-Feb-2020

Summary: Miss X wants assurances that we will seek her consent before making enquires or contacting third parties about her complaint. We cannot give Miss X those assurances and so we have discontinued our investigation.

London Borough of Havering (19 015 465)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 24-Feb-2020

Summary: Ms B complains about the way the Council dealt with her when she approached it to make a homelessness application. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because it is unlikely we can add to the investigation already carried out by the Council and an investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

London Borough of Newham (19 007 357)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 24-Feb-2020

Summary: There was no fault in the Council’s shortlisting process for properties Mr B bid on. The Council tried to prevent Mr B’s eviction and then decided he was not in priority need with regard to his homelessness application. The Council informed him of his right to a review of this decision. This complaint is not upheld.

London Borough of Newham (19 008 332)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 18-Feb-2020

Summary: The Council was at fault because it placed a wrong address on an appendix to a letter accepting a duty to accommodate a resident. The Council also failed to contact the resident to review his situation. There was no injustice to the resident from these faults. The resident did not contact the Council for 18 months about the homeless application and it would have been reasonable for him to follow up the matter at the time.

London Borough of Croydon (19 010 862)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 18-Feb-2020

Summary: Mr X complains the Council is acting unreasonably by saying he does not qualify for its housing register on residence grounds as it was responsible for him moving out of the Borough in 2016. There is no evidence the Council placed Mr X out of the Borough in 2016.

London Borough of Barnet (19 005 727)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 18-Feb-2020

Summary: Miss Y complained the Council failed to properly review whether her temporary accommodation was suitable for her and her family to live in and failed to properly deal with a cockroach infestation within the block of flats in which she lives. There was fault in the Council’s decision-making process. The Council has agreed to apologise, move Miss Y to alternative accommodation as part of an estate regeneration plan and pay her £150 to remedy the uncertainty caused.

Braintree District Council (19 014 986)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 18-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman does not have reason to start an investigation of this complaint that the Council had not given a homeless man enough help in finding housing. This is because the man has now been offered suitable accommodation, and it is unlikely we could achieve a better outcome for him than this.

South Cambridgeshire District Council (18 007 828)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 17-Feb-2020

Summary: There was fault when the Council disposed of personal belongings Mr X left in interim accommodation he occupied when he was homeless. This caused a significant injustice to Mr X. The Council has agreed to provide a suitable remedy.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (19 014 074)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 17-Feb-2020

Summary: A housing applicant complained that the Council unreasonably withdrew an offer of accommodation which he wanted, and then offered another property which was not suitable for his family’s needs. But the Ombudsman will not investigate this matter. This is because the applicant had a statutory right of appeal he could have used to challenge the Council’s decision about the suitability of the second property. In addition, there is no sign that any other fault by the Council caused him an injustice to warrant our involvement.

London Borough of Havering (19 018 046)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 14-Feb-2020

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council have not properly considered his circumstances in reaching a decision that he is not homeless or threatened with homelessness. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because he can appeal the matter in court.