Daventry District Council (17 018 169)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 05-Jun-2019

Summary: The Council closed a homelessness application when it could not and gave wrong information to the complainant. The Council delayed in dealing with a housing application and due to its error delayed in giving the complainant the correct priority. The Council also delayed a fraud investigation and carried out a flawed investigation. The Council caused injustice as it could have rehoused the complainant 5 months earlier than it did. It also caused her unnecessary time, trouble and distress. To put this right the Council will apologise to the complainant and pay her £1,000.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (19 001 070)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 04-Jun-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss A’s complaint that the Council disregarded the evidence she provided as part of her request for a review of the suitability of her temporary accommodation. This is because Miss A has now moved and it is not unreasonable to expect her to use the review and appeal rights the law provides.

London Borough of Waltham Forest (18 006 503)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 31-May-2019

Summary: Mr B complained about how the Council handled his homelessness. There was some fault by the Council, including delay dealing with the situation and providing accommodation unsuited to Mr B’s needs as a wheelchair user. That caused Mr B injustice, including living in unsuitable accommodation for four months. The Council agreed our recommendations to apologise, pay Mr B £2,150 and review what happened here.

London Borough of Waltham Forest (19 001 384)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 31-May-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman does not have reason to investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to end its housing duty in a homeless man’s case. This is mainly because the man has statutory review and appeal rights he can use to challenge the Council’s decision.

Northampton Borough Council (18 008 117)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 30-May-2019

Summary: Mr B complains that the Council has failed to help him find accommodation despite his long-term homelessness. The Ombudsman finds the Council was at fault in failing to make further enquiries when Mr B sought assistance with housing in March 2018 and in failing to contact him to complete an assessment following the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. The Ombudsman has recommended a remedy for the injustice caused to Mr B.

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (18 012 907)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 22-May-2019

Summary: Miss Q complains about the Council’s housing allocations process. She says the Council has not given her a direct offer for housing even though she is eligible, has tried to avoid its responsibility to house her by pushing her into private rental accommodation, and given priority to those who lived near Grenfell Tower. The Ombudsman does not find fault with the Council’s handling of Miss Q’s housing application.

Northampton Borough Council (18 016 596)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 22-May-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman does not have reason to investigate this complaint that the Council had not kept to a promise to write off a tenant’s rent arrears for her temporary accommodation and that it had failed to respond to her complaints about this matter. The Council has now written off the arrears and this is a sufficient remedy in the circumstances.

London Borough of Sutton (18 016 775)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 21-May-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that the Council failed to assist him to access accommodation during severe weather. This is because it is unlikely we could achieve anything for Mr B.

Leicester City Council (18 009 945)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 21-May-2019

Summary: Mr C says the Council was at fault for a failure to house his family promptly when they became homeless and for other housing failures. The Council was at fault for delay in assessing the family’s need and in supplying bedding for his children and a failure to review the suitability of the accommodation. It should pay Mr C a sum in recognition of the distress caused and carry out the requested review.

Ashford Borough Council (18 011 675)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 17-May-2019

Summary: Miss B complains about the Council’s handling of her request for housing help when she and her son were made homeless. We find the Council’s handling of Miss B’s homelessness application was affected by fault, particularly the Council did not comply with the Relief duty it owed Miss B. This has caused Miss B distress and uncertainty about what would have happened had there been no fault by the Council. The Council has agreed to make a payment to put right the injustice suffered by Miss B and to learn from this complaint.