Westminster City Council (19 010 545)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 08-Oct-2020

Summary: There is fault by the Council because it failed to identify and deal with Mr X’s request for a review of the suitability of his accommodation. The Council also failed to follow up repairs’ issues with its managing agent in a timely manner. This caused Mr X avoidable frustration. The Council will take action to remedy the injustice described at the end of this statement.

Peterborough City Council (19 012 133)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 08-Oct-2020

Summary: Mr X complains there were failings in the way the Council dealt with his homelessness situation and a housing provider’s decision not to accept any nominations for him for its properties. The Ombudsman has found no evidence of fault in the way the Council considered these matters so has completed his investigation.

London Borough of Bromley (19 015 848)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 05-Oct-2020

Summary: Mr X complains the Council delayed accepting a homelessness duty and failed to provide interim accommodation. He says that he was left without accommodation and had to sofa surf. The Council was at fault for not accepting a homelessness application and making enquiries about his circumstances in April 2019. It was also at fault for failing to carry out an interview because he arrived 10 minutes late and for not arranging another one until a month later. Mr X moved into accommodation 10 months later in February 2010.

London Borough of Newham (18 011 572)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 05-Oct-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained about the way the Council dealt with her application for homeless assistance. The Council was at fault. It failed to fully assess Mrs X’s housing needs, delayed offering her interim accommodation, delayed making a decision on her homeless application and delayed advising her of her right of review of the suitability of the temporary accommodation. These faults caused Mrs X and her family distress, frustration and inconvenience. The Council has agreed to make a payment to Mrs X to remedy the injustice caused. It has also agreed to remind staff of the need to complete a full assessment of housing needs and to confirm decisions in writing at the earliest opportunity.

London Borough of Southwark (19 015 854)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 02-Oct-2020

Summary: The complainant says the Council failed to properly manage her housing application leading to a delay in the offer of a permanent home. The Council accepts fault in managing the applications. The Ombudsman finds the Council acted with fault causing an injustice for which he recommends a remedy.

London Borough of Barnet (19 016 871)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 02-Oct-2020

Summary: Miss X says the Council has placed her in unsuitable temporary accommodation and failed to carry out a review of its suitability. She also says it failed to respond to her complaints about this. The Ombudsman has found fault by the Council. He recommended apologises for the delay in doing so and offered her £250 in recognition of the distress and avoidable time and trouble caused to her. The Council agreed.

London Borough of Ealing (20 001 321)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 02-Oct-2020

Summary: Miss X complains the Council has not done enough to help her find accommodation, and that a housing officer was rude and unhelpful and wrongly discussed her homelessness application with her sister which led to her being forcefully evicted. The documentation shows the Council took sufficient action to assist Miss X with finding accommodation after she became homeless. And there is no evidence a council officer was rude or unhelpful, or that their actions led to Miss X’s eviction.

Blackpool Borough Council (20 002 418)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 02-Oct-2020

Summary: Mr X complains the Council did not offer him support when he became homeless. The Council is not at fault.

Birmingham City Council (19 017 083)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 01-Oct-2020

Summary: Miss X complains the Council was at fault in the way it responded to her requests to clean pigeon mess from the balcony of a flat she occupied as temporary accommodation. We found fault as the Council delayed in responding to the request and wrongly informed Miss X it was her responsibility when responding to her complaints. The Council has agreed to make a payment to Ms X for the distress caused and to make service improvements, so we are completing our investigation.

Northampton Borough Council (20 002 879)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 01-Oct-2020

Summary: A woman complained that the Council unreasonably refused to accept her request for a review of its decision that she is intentionally homeless, unfairly evicted her from her temporary accommodation, and was going to take too long to review her priority on its Housing Register. But the Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. This is because there is no sign of fault by the Council in the woman’s case.