London Borough of Wandsworth (19 006 011)

Report Upheld Homelessness 18-Nov-2020

Summary: Ms X complains the Council had not dealt with her homeless application, helped her as a victim of domestic violence or registered her on its allocation scheme.

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (19 015 283)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 16-Nov-2020

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s handling of her request for a review of the suitability of her temporary accommodation. The Council took too long to complete the review and delayed in responding to her complaint. This caused Ms X avoidable distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms X and make a financial payment for the injustice caused.

London Borough of Lambeth (19 013 000)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 13-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr D complains the Council failed to provide him with suitable temporary accommodation and did not have due regard to its public sector equality duty. Mr D says because the accommodation was unsuitable, he found it difficult to leave his property. The Ombudsman has not found fault with the Council.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (20 004 951)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 11-Nov-2020

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s handling of her homeless application from 2018. She also complained about the failure to issue a final homeless decision. The Ombudsman should not exercise his discretion to investigate the matters before September 2019. This is because they took place outside the normal 12-month period for receiving complaints. There is insufficient evidence of fault causing injustice to Miss X in the Council issuing its final homeless decision.

Runnymede Borough Council (20 005 618)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 11-Nov-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint that the Council withdrew an offer of housing because the complainant had council tax arrears. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (19 008 200)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 10-Nov-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman found no fault on Miss C’s complaint of the Council placing her in unsuitable out of borough accommodation. It took account of her personal circumstances before doing so and an independent medical advisor’s recommendation. When later deciding the property was unsuitable, it decided not to offer her an out of borough property because of the implications to her of her likely refusal. This was fault. She lost her the opportunity to make her own decision and challenge its suitability. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

London Borough of Wandsworth (20 004 954)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 09-Nov-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about disrepair in temporary accommodation which the complainant left in 2018. This is because it is a late complaint, the Ombudsman cannot achieve the outcome the complainant wants, and because the complainant could have used her review rights.

Southampton City Council (19 000 742)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 06-Nov-2020

Summary: Since December 2016 the Council failed properly to consider the housing situation of a severely overcrowded family. The Council also failed to make adequate enquiries before deciding the children in the family were not in need. The Council has now carried out a proper housing assessment and rehoused the family. It will pay a financial remedy to the complainant for the delay.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (19 009 436)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 06-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr B complains about the way the Council has dealt with him since he became homeless. The Council was at fault for not assessing him for interim accommodation while it made enquiries and for not providing appropriate assistance in bidding for properties when Mr B was accepted on the housing register. This caused Mr B considerable distress and impacted on his physical and mental health issues as he had to sleep in his car until the Council made a suitable offer of accommodation. The Council has agreed to make a payment and apology to Mr B for the delay and distress caused and work with him to help him secure accommodation. The Council will also remind staff of the low threshold for an entitlement to interim accommodation where someone is homeless or threatened with homelessness.

Harlow District Council (20 005 652)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 05-Nov-2020

Summary: A homelessness applicant complained about the Council’s failure to carry out a review of its decision that she is not homeless. But the Ombudsman has no reason to start an investigation of this complaint. This is because the Council has now issued a review decision and the applicant is satisfied with that outcome.