Private housing

Recent statements in this category are shown below:

  • Elmbridge Borough Council (18 007 902)

    Statement Upheld Private housing 26-Jun-2019

    Summary: There was some fault in the way the Council responded to Ms B's complaints about disrepair in her property. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms B and to pay her £300.

  • Manchester City Council (18 011 838)

    Statement Not upheld Private housing 30-May-2019

    Summary: A Ltd, a lettings agent, says the Council was at fault for a failure to ensure a tenant, Ms T was eligible for housing benefit or universal credit and for a failure to inform A Ltd if she was not eligible before asking A Ltd to let a property to her. The Council was not at fault. Ms T found the property herself and was eligible for benefits when the Council paid her deposit. She later lost eligibility. This was not the Council's responsibility.

  • Portsmouth City Council (18 010 943)

    Statement Upheld Private housing 24-May-2019

    Summary: Mr and Mrs X complain about the quality of damp-proofing work completed in their house since they received a vulnerable persons' grant from the Council to fund it in 2013. The Ombudsman concludes although two attempts to resolve Mr and Mrs X's damp issue have clearly failed, this was not because of fault by the Council. There was fault in how the Council explained its involvement in the later works, which caused some uncertainty, but it has already offered a remedy we consider satisfactory for this.

  • London Borough of Brent (18 010 570)

    Statement Upheld Private housing 17-May-2019

    Summary: There was some fault in how the Council handled reports of disrepair in a private rental property, but this did not cause a significant injustice. There was also fault in how the Council handled a homelessness application, which caused a limited injustice. The Council has agreed to provide a remedy for this.

  • Leicester City Council (18 011 970)

    Statement Not upheld Private housing 08-May-2019

    Summary: Mr X complained about the Council's response to his reports of disrepair in his private accommodation and harassment from his landlord. The Council took the steps I would expect it to in response to Mr X's reports and it was not at fault.

  • London Borough of Croydon (18 011 542)

    Statement Upheld Private housing 01-May-2019

    Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to take appropriate action over the poor state of her property. She also complained the Council failed to award her medical priority points when she made a housing application. There was no fault in the action the Council took in relation to the state of Mrs X's property. There was some fault in how the Council dealt with Mrs X's housing application but this did not cause her a significant injustice.

  • London Borough of Lewisham (18 011 994)

    Statement Not upheld Private housing 30-Apr-2019

    Summary: Mr X complains the Council has failed to address issues of disrepair and safety at the HMO where he lives, and has failed to respond to his complaints. There is no evidence of fault in the way the Council dealt with Mr X's reports of disrepair at his property.

  • London Borough of Ealing (18 005 837)

    Statement Upheld Private housing 30-Apr-2019

    Summary: The Council failed to take any action after it inspected Mr B's home in 2016 and delayed taking any action after it inspected his home in 2017. As a result, Mr B has been living in poor housing conditions for longer than was unavoidable. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Mr B and take action to prevent similar failings in future.

  • London Borough of Bexley (17 017 084)

    Statement Upheld Private housing 11-Apr-2019

    Summary: Miss C says the Council gave her inaccurate financial advice and wrongly forced her to take out a second loan. The financial assessment was flawed but that did not cause an injustice to Miss C and there is no evidence the Council forced her to take on a further loan.

  • Brighton & Hove City Council (18 013 173)

    Statement Not upheld Private housing 08-Apr-2019

    Summary: There is no evidence of fault by the Council. It has investigated the complaint about disrepair in a privately rented flat and got the rental agents agreement to carry out works. The works have not been completed as the complainant has not reached an agreement with the agent about temporary accommodation, which is not the responsibility of the Council.