London Borough of Lewisham (24 016 564)

Report Upheld Homelessness 14-Aug-2025

Summary: Mr Y complained on behalf of Ms X about the Council’s handling of her homeless application after she received notice to leave a private tenancy. Particularly, that the Council told Ms X to stay in the property until the court issued a bailiff warrant. Mr Y says Ms X experienced avoidable financial loss and distress.

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (24 015 485)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 15-Jul-2025

Summary: Mr D complained the Council failed to offer homelessness advice and support and placed him in unsuitable interim accommodation. I have found evidence of fault by the Council causing Mr D to live in unsuitable accommodation for nearly six months. I have asked the Council to pay Mr D financial redress.

London Borough of Southwark (24 014 894)

Statement Upheld Allocations 15-Jul-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault for not providing Ms X with a face-to-face appointment as part of her housing application despite Ms X informing the Council she needed this because English was not her first language. The Council was also at fault for a significant delay in processing her housing application and its poor complaint handling. This led to a 15 month delay in the Council approving Ms X’s application to join the housing register. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment and backdate the priority of Ms X’s housing application to remedy the injustice caused. It has also agreed to produce an action plan and send a reminder to staff to prevent a recurrence of the faults.

Somerset Council (25 000 698)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 15-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a housing application. This complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Mrs X could not have complained to us sooner.

Leicester City Council (25 001 277)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council house sales and leaseholders 15-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling and eventual refusal of the complainant’s Right to Buy application. It is reasonable to expect the complainant to have used the statutory notice of delay procedure, and to take the Council to court.

Torridge District Council (25 001 512)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 15-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about disrepair in a private rented property. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Enfield (25 001 728)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 15-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision on a homelessness application. It was reasonable for Mr X to ask the Council to review its decision under s.202 of the Housing Act 1996 Part 6.

London Borough of Brent (25 000 435)

Statement Upheld Allocations 15-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Ms X’s homelessness application and the support provided when she was fleeing domestic abuse. This is because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Ms X.

London Borough of Croydon (24 010 587)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 15-Jul-2025

Summary: Ms X complained the Council provided her with unsuitable interim and temporary accommodation for a prolonged period. Ms X also complained the Council failed to properly administer her homelessness application, delayed completing a suitability review, and communicated poorly. We have found the Council acted with fault. These faults meant Ms X lived in unsuitable accommodation for a prolonged period and experienced significant avoidable distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to provide a written apology to Ms X and pay a symbolic financial remedy to recognise the injustice caused.

Arun District Council (24 014 374)

Statement Upheld Allocations 14-Jul-2025

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council changing her priority date on reregistering her housing application under its new Housing Allocations Policy. Miss X said the decision to change her priority date was unfair and put her at a disadvantage when bidding for a new home. We found there was fault by the Council in its handling of Miss X’s application. The Council’s fault had been advantageous for Miss X. In correcting the fault and changing her priority date, the Council had put Miss X in the position she should have been in from the outset. The apology already given by the Council suitably addressed any injustice to Miss X caused by its initial fault in not changing her priority date.