Leicester City Council (23 015 900)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 05-Mar-2024

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to meet its duties to him when he became homeless and gave him the wrong priority on its housing allocation register. There was fault in how the Council handled Mr X’s homeless application which caused him confusion at a difficult time. The Council agreed to apologise to Mr X, review its procedures, and issue reminders to its staff. However, I did not investigate the rest of Mr X’s complaint. When Mr X came to the Ombudsman, the Council was still within time to consider its reviews of his housing allocation priority and whether he was in priority need as a homeless person. Also, there is no merit in investigating further any information the Council provided Mr X about a homeless shelter.

Breckland District Council (23 016 499)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Private housing 05-Mar-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delay in the Council opening its energy company obligation (ECO4) scheme for applications. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault. In addition, the alleged fault has not caused any significant injustice.

Somerset Council (23 009 511)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 05-Mar-2024

Summary: Mr W complained the Council has delayed its review of its decision he was not in priority need of housing. When its review was completed, it agreed he had priority. We found the Council has caused a delay and is therefore at fault.

London Borough of Southwark (23 009 605)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 05-Mar-2024

Summary: Mr X complained about matters relating to his homelessness including the failure to add him to the housing register; failure to make a referral; failure to provide housing benefit advice and that his interim accommodation was unsuitable. Mr X says he suffered a deterioration in his mental health and suffered financially. There was fault in not adding him to the housing register as his application should have been awarded reasonable preference due to being homeless. A suitable remedy for the injustice caused is agreed.

London Borough of Lewisham (23 010 798)

Statement Upheld Allocations 05-Mar-2024

Summary: there was fault in the way the Council considered Miss X’s request for a medical assessment and a review of her priority on the Housing Register. She has recently been offered a property. But she did not get a decision on her request for medical priority and is left with the uncertainty of not knowing whether she might have been awarded higher priority on medical grounds. The Council has agreed to provide a personal remedy for Miss X and to make service improvements.

London Borough of Lewisham (23 016 114)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 04-Mar-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the way it handled her homelessness application because there is insufficient evidence of fault.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 015 931)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 03-Mar-2024

Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of a housing application in 2016. This complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Mr X could not have complained to us sooner. We will not investigate the Council’s assessment of Mr X’s current application because it is reasonable for him to ask for a statutory review of the Council’s decision.

London Borough of Hounslow (23 006 113)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 02-Mar-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to accept a housing application to its housing register. It was reasonable for the applicant to ask for a statutory review of the decision and this is ongoing.

Bristol City Council (23 016 132)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 01-Mar-2024

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s investigation of neighbour nuisance caused by its tenants in a block of flats. We have no jurisdiction to investigate the actions of social housing landlords in tenancy matters.

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (23 006 105)

Statement Upheld Private housing 01-Mar-2024

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to take action when his landlord tried to illegally evict him. We found the Council followed the correct enforcement procedures and was not at fault in the support it offered Mr X. However, we found the Council was responsible for delays when it did not progress the enforcement case. This caused avoidable frustration and distress which the Council agreed to remedy.