London Borough of Waltham Forest (21 002 984)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 02-Aug-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X's complaint because the Council has already apologised for giving her conflicting and confusing information about her housing application. There is nothing further we can achieve by investigating this complaint.

Liverpool City Council (20 009 366)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 30-Jul-2021

Summary: Ms C complained about the way the Council dealt with her housing situation. Ms C says there was a delay in receiving accommodation and she had to sleep in her car for two nights. We have found fault by the Council in its failure to provide a homelessness decision with associated review rights but consider the agreed action of an apology, £300 and review of its procedures provides a suitable remedy.

London Borough of Newham (20 006 888)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 28-Jul-2021

Summary: Based on the information I have so far, my view is that there was fault by the Council and the agents acting on its behalf. The agents disposed of Mrs B's belongings while she was in hospital and cannot show that it tried to alert her to this. It also did not take an inventory of the items. I am concerned that there was no formal written warning to Mrs B before she was evicted from hostel accommodation but it is unlikely that this would alter the outcome here. The Council should apologise to Mrs B for the distress it caused her, make a payment in recognition of this and her lost belongings, and consider a fair process for eviction where the occupier has not signed a written agreement.

Bristol City Council (20 003 325)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 26-Jul-2021

Summary: Mr & Mrs X complain the Council failed to properly deal with repairs they reported about a friend's council property they stayed in when they were homeless. They also complained the Council failed to give their housing application the correct priority. The repairs issues were outside our jurisdiction. We considered there was no fault in the way the Council decided Mr and Mrs X's housing priority.

Westminster City Council (20 009 809)

Statement Not upheld Homelessness 21-Jul-2021

Summary: Mr X complained that the Council misled him about his liability to pay Council Tax on temporary accommodation out of the borough and the process for claiming Council Tax Support. He also complained that it did not offer him the tenancy of a flat which he bid for in November 2020. There is no evidence of fault by the Council.

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (20 008 757)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 21-Jul-2021

Summary: Miss X complained the Council has housed her and her family in unsuitable accommodation for five years. She complains the Council has discriminated against her disabled son and has refused to provide permanent accommodation. The Council's failure to provide Miss X with suitable accommodation since February 2019 amounts to fault. This fault has caused Miss X an injustice.

London Borough of Barnet (19 000 206)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 16-Jul-2021

Summary: Mr B complains that there was fault and delay in the way the Council responded to his request for housing assistance. The Ombudsman considers that the Council was at fault because it should have taken a homelessness application and provided emergency accommodation sooner. Had it done so, Mr B would not have incurred large rent arrears. The Council has agreed the Ombudsman's recommendation that it apologise to Mr B, pay him £3,588.67 to cover the shortfall in rent, court fees and interest and a further £500 in recognition of the distress caused to him.

Plymouth City Council (20 004 150)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 02-Jul-2021

Summary: Mr X complains the Council placed him and his family in unsuitable interim and temporary accommodation. There is no evidence of fault in the Council's decision to place Mr X in interim accommodation when he became homeless and to show the accommodation was unsuitable. The Council is at fault in failing to translate its letters setting out its decisions on Mr X's homelessness application. These faults did not cause significant injustice to Mr X other than to deny him the opportunity to receive the letters in his preferred language. The Council also delayed in carrying out a review into its decision to end it main housing duty to Mr X which caused some frustration to him. The Council will apologise to Mr X for this injustice and review its procedures.

London Borough of Ealing (20 013 749)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 29-Jun-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained about how the Council handled her housing benefit claim. The Council was not at fault as it gave Mrs X information about her appeal rights and she chose not to use them. Mrs X also complained about how the Council considered the suitability of her temporary accommodation. The Council was at fault. It delayed adding Mrs X's husband to her housing application which caused her uncertainty. It also delayed considering whether Mrs X could afford to pay her rent. The Council has already apologised to Mrs X and made a suitable offer to address the impact of the delay in considering the affordability of her accommodation. It has agreed to remind its staff they must respond to change of circumstance information promptly.

Birmingham City Council (19 019 555)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 25-Jun-2021

Summary: We find fault with the Council for failing to take action when it decided Miss C's temporary accommodation was unaffordable. It also failed to tell Miss C about her right to request a suitability review. This caused Miss C distress and she missed out on an offer of permanent accommodation because of her rent arrears. The Council agrees actions to remedy the injustice.