Homelessness

London Borough of Waltham Forest (19 001 001)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 09-Oct-2019

Summary: Ms X complained the Council attempted to place her and her young child into unsuitable temporary accommodation and failed to consider her status as a Council employee when she applied for housing assistance. There was no fault in the way the Council dealt with her housing needs.

Coventry City Council (19 000 630)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 09-Oct-2019

Summary: The Council took sufficient action to assist Mr X in relieving his homelessness. The Council is at fault as it placed Mr X in a room which had not been cleaned when it provided emergency accommodation. But this did not cause significant injustice to Mr X and there is no evidence to show the emergency accommodation overall was unsuitable.

Mid Devon District Council (19 002 186)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 09-Oct-2019

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council's decision to no longer support rehousing a refugee family through the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme (SVPRS). Ms X says the Council inspected a property she had found and agreed it was suitable. She said the Council later told her it did not have the resources to commit to settle a family in the property Ms X had bought. The Ombudsman has discontinued his investigation. This is because the matter is still ongoing.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (18 014 676)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 07-Oct-2019

Summary: Miss B complains about the Council's involvement in her housing situation when she came out of hospital. She says the property she felt forced to move to is unsuitable for her and, as it is one bedroom, her teenage son cannot live or stay with her. There was fault by the Council in not formally considering whether Miss B was homeless in June 2018. This is unlikely to have affected Miss B's housing situation but the Council should apologise.

Corby Borough Council (18 013 976)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 07-Oct-2019

Summary: The Council was at fault for failing to make accommodation available to Miss B for two weeks after she became homeless, despite knowing of her impending homelessness four weeks in advance. Miss B experienced distress and uncertainty during this two-week period, and paid for hotels. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss B and make a payment of £350 to recognise her injustice.

Westminster City Council (18 014 420)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 27-Sep-2019

Summary: Miss X has complained about how the Council dealt with concerns about her temporary accommodation. There is evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Southwark (18 011 999)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 27-Sep-2019

Summary: Ms C says the Council failed to accept she was in priority need of housing under s.195A of the Housing Act 1996 as it should have done and, as a result, placed her in unsuitable accommodation which caused her distress. The Council was at fault both for a failure to recognise it owed Ms C a s.195A duty and for placing the family in unsuitable accommodation but the former fault did not cause the latter. The Council has agreed to pay her £900.

Westminster City Council (19 003 747)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 26-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr B complained about the way the Council dealt with his homeless application in September 2018 and from April 2019. We found there were delays by the Council in interviewing Mr B to obtain full information about his circumstances. This delayed the provision of interim accommodation by approximately a month. The Council has agreed to pay Mr B £300 and to review its procedures.

London Borough of Brent (18 016 033)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 25-Sep-2019

Summary: Ms X's representative complained about the way the Council handed homelessness applications made by Ms X and the suitability of the accommodation the Council offered her. The Council was at fault when it failed to offer Ms X two rights to a review, placed her in unsuitable accommodation, including bed and breakfast placements, and delayed at times in its communications with her. The Council has agreed to make a financial payment of £3,225 and make procedural changes to remedy the distress and frustration this caused Ms X and her family.

London Borough of Lambeth (19 001 761)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 24-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr C complains that the Council failed to assist him with his homelessness problem. I have completed my investigation on the basis that there was no fault in the way the Council dealt with the issues Mr C has raised. Furthermore, Mr C had the opportunity to appeal the Councils homelessness decision in court.