London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (18 011 476)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 19-Jun-2019

Summary: Ms B complained about failures by the Council in dealing with her homelessness situation since November 2017. We have found fault with the Council’s actions, particularly in evicting her from her interim accommodation without any time to make alternative arrangements, leading to a month of street homelessness. It also delayed in dealing with her complaint and responding to her request for assistance with storage costs. The Council has agreed to pay Mrs B £1150 and review her ability to pay for the storage costs.

London Borough of Islington (18 015 905)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 19-Jun-2019

Summary: There was no fault in the way the Council handled Mr X’s telephone call to its out of hours service to request emergency accommodation for a homeless client.

Worthing Borough Council (18 005 173)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 18-Jun-2019

Summary: Mrs B complained about the Council’s handling of her family’s homelessness. There was some fault by the Council. This resulted in delay in the Council treating Mrs B as homeless. It also caused Mrs B missed opportunity and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise, pay Mrs B £250 and review its actions.

Peterborough City Council (18 012 324)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 17-Jun-2019

Summary: Mr X complained about the way the Council handled his homelessness application. The Council is at fault for not carrying out a review of its decision to end its housing duty. It has agreed to offer a late review and will consider offering Mr X temporary accommodation whilst it does so.

London Borough of Wandsworth (18 016 758)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 14-Jun-2019

Summary: Mr D complains the Council failed to properly investigate his reports of an illegal eviction and associated issues in 2018. The Ombudsman has not found evidence of fault by the Council and has completed the investigation and not upheld the complaint.

London Borough of Wandsworth (18 012 411)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 11-Jun-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman found no fault on Miss B’s complaint against the Council that it failed to place her in suitable accommodation and properly consider her medical evidence for a transfer. The Council properly considered her evidence and decided the property was suitable. It also acted on her reports of neighbour noise nuisance.

London Borough of Croydon (18 018 284)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 11-Jun-2019

Summary: I have discontinued our investigation of Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her homelessness and Housing Register applications to allow the Council to investigate it at the final stage of its complaints procedure.

London Borough of Lewisham (18 011 379)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 10-Jun-2019

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s handling of issues with her temporary accommodation. She said it was unaffordable, and the Council failed to take appropriate action when her boiler broke down. The Council was not at fault for how it dealt with Ms X’s report about a broken boiler or for how it decided the accommodation was affordable. It was at fault for charging Ms X for two tenancies when she moved accommodation, and for the delay in responding to Ms X’s complaint about the matter. The Council agreed to refund £50 for the crossover tenancy payment and pay Ms X £100 for her time and trouble.

Worthing Borough Council (18 011 830)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 10-Jun-2019

Summary: Miss X says the Council is at fault in how it handled her housing situation. The Ombudsman has found some evidence of fault by the Council and it has agreed to pay Miss X’s storage charges for two months in recognition of the injustice caused to her. The Ombudsman does not consider the fault he found has prevented Miss X from being offered permanent accommodation. For these reasons, he has ended his investigation of this complaint.

Melton Borough Council (18 019 077)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 10-Jun-2019

Summary: Mr X complains the Council failed to help him with his homelessness. The Council is not at fault.