Allocations

Epping Forest District Council (18 019 902)

Statement Upheld Allocations 16-Dec-2019

Summary: There was fault by the Council. The Council's guidelines on priority transfers did not explain clearly what the Council's officers felt was a like for like transfer. The Council also did not clearly document its reasons why it felt Miss B was not at sufficient risk to exercise discretion to go against its policy to speed up her transfer. The injustice to Miss B is minimal, as it is likely the outcome would have been the same and the Council did make her a reasonable offer, which she refused.

Norwich City Council (19 003 725)

Statement Upheld Allocations 16-Dec-2019

Summary: Mr B complains the Council did not consider properly the medical needs of his son, C, when assessing their banding for the housing register. There was fault in the Council's consideration of Mr B's request for medical priority but there was no fault in the way the review was conducted which upheld the original decision.

London Borough of Hackney (19 005 082)

Statement Upheld Allocations 16-Dec-2019

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council's refusal to give her additional housing priority due to her multiple needs, causing her family to remain longer in unsuitable accommodation. The Ombudsman finds no fault affecting the Council's decision but finds the Council delayed granting disrepair points. The Ombudsman recommends the Council provides an apology and payment for distress.

London Borough of Hillingdon (18 019 714)

Statement Upheld Allocations 16-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman found fault on Ms T's complaint about the Council's children's services failing to properly consider her and her daughter's needs, or suitability, when providing them with accommodation out of borough. It failed to show this was the only available accommodation. It also failed to show it considered, and kept under review, its suitability because of her daughter's needs and the 4 hours traveling it takes for her to get to and from school. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

Epping Forest District Council (19 005 432)

Statement Not upheld Allocations 12-Dec-2019

Summary: Mr B complains that the Council failed to backdate his recent housing application to the date of his original application which was cancelled in 2016 when he did not renew it. The Ombudsman finds no fault on the Council's part. In any event, it has now backdated Mr B's application.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council (18 017 728)

Statement Upheld Allocations 11-Dec-2019

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to allocate her properties she bid on and then failed to explain why this happened. The Council was not at fault for the way it allocated the properties. It was at fault for the delay in responding to her complaint about this and for failing to properly explain why she was not allocated the properties. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X and to pay her £100 to acknowledge the frustration this caused.

London Borough of Hillingdon (19 005 417)

Statement Not upheld Allocations 10-Dec-2019

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council's housing allocation decision. He says he asked the Council not to place a tenant with a child in the flat above him, but the Council did so anyway. The Ombudsman does not find fault with the Council.

Thurrock Council (19 003 756)

Statement Upheld Allocations 10-Dec-2019

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council's decision not to award him any medical priority for his housing application. He also complains about the Council's complaint handling. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for failing to consider all relevant information before it made its decision. We also find fault with the Council's complaint handling. We have recommended the Council apologise and remake its decision.

London Borough of Haringey (19 002 377)

Statement Not upheld Allocations 10-Dec-2019

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council's assessment of her housing band. She says the Council has not properly considered her medical needs and the medical needs of her three children. The Ombudsman does not find fault with the Council's assessment of Mrs X's housing application band.

London Borough of Southwark (19 004 043)

Statement Upheld Allocations 10-Dec-2019

Summary: Mr B complains about how the Council dealt with his homelessness application and about the interim accommodation it placed him in. The Ombudsman finds there was fault by the Council in this matter, causing injustice to Mr B. To remedy this a recommendation is made for a payment and an apology to Mr B, in addition to service improvements by the Council.