Colchester City Council (18 016 190)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 04-Feb-2020

Summary: Mr Y complains about the way the Council dealt with his homelessness application and allocated him emergency accommodation. The Ombudsman has found no evidence of fault in the way the Council considered these matters.

Leicester City Council (19 008 234)

Statement Not upheld Allocations 03-Feb-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council delayed in processing her application to join the housing register. She also complains that issues with the Council’s website have meant that she has not been able to bid on properties or see their bid position for properties. There is no evidence of fault in the way the Council dealt with Mrs X’s application to join the housing register or in the way it responded to her difficulties in bidding for properties.

Brentwood Borough Council (19 008 419)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 03-Feb-2020

Summary: The Council failed to provide Mr X with a personalised housing plan when he approached as homeless. The Council should pay Mr X £100 to recognise the uncertainty this caused.

Thanet District Council (19 008 880)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 03-Feb-2020

Summary: Ms D complains the Council failed to assist with housing issues. The Ombudsman has not found any evidence of fault. He has completed the investigation and not upheld the complaint.

London Borough of Islington (19 010 090)

Statement Upheld Allocations 03-Feb-2020

Summary: Ms X complained about events connected to her housing situation and about how the Council dealt with her complaint. We do not intend to investigate the housing issues which occurred before August 2018 because Ms X did not complain to us about these issues within the normal 12 month time period and it is unlikely we could achieve anything meaningful now. The Council delayed in dealing with Ms X’s complaint. It has already offered her £100 which is satisfactory to address any injustice. Other aspects of Ms X’s complaint have not yet been considered by the Council. Therefore, we will not investigate them.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (19 014 799)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 03-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about housing allocations. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault in the actions of the Council.

London Borough of Croydon (19 012 936)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 03-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman does not have grounds to investigate this complaint that the Council unreasonably housed a family in private rented accommodation far from their support network. This is because the Council has offered to carry out a fresh review about the suitability of the accommodation.

London Borough of Camden (18 013 963)

Statement Upheld Other 31-Jan-2020

Summary: The Council failed to provide information to Miss B about the type of development it will allow when she applied to buy the loft above her flat. As a result, Miss B was put to avoidable time and trouble applying to buy the loft, and the unnecessary expense of having architect’s plans drawn up. The Council has agreed to make a payment to Miss B, reimburse the cost of the architect’s fees and take action to prevent similar failings in future.

Leeds City Council (19 010 694)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Private housing 30-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council threatening him that he had carried out an illegal eviction of his tenant and advising his tenant to break new locks which he had fitted to secure the property. The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Southampton City Council (19 011 617)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 30-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss X’s complaint that the Council has not rehoused her. Miss X has now been rehoused and the Ombudsman cannot add to this by investigating.