South Gloucestershire Council (25 006 248)

Report Upheld Homelessness 27-Apr-2026

Summary: Ms X complained the Council refused to support her and her child when they fled domestic abuse in 2023. Specifically, she says the Council decided they did not qualify for homelessness assistance because they did not have a local connection to the area. Instead, the Council referred them back to their previous area, where the domestic abuse had occurred, on the basis that they had a local connection there. Ms X says these decisions have severely affected her mental health and wellbeing and placed her and her child at risk of further harm.

London Borough of Croydon (25 007 996)

Statement Upheld Allocations 21-Apr-2026

Summary: The Council delayed reviewing its decision to remove Ms X from its housing register and delayed accepting its homelessness duties to her. This caused Ms X uncertainty, distress and meant Ms X and her family lived in unsuitable accommodation for six months. The Council’s failure to offer interim accommodation also resulted in Ms X and her family facing a forced eviction and being street homeless for one night. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Ms X.

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (25 009 905)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 21-Apr-2026

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s delay in complying with its agreement to further review his homelessness application. We found fault by the Council which caused Mr X avoidable distress. The Council had since completed its further review and apologised to Mr X for its delay. The Council also agreed to make a symbolic payment to Mr X to suitably and proportionately address the injustice caused by its fault.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (25 012 062)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 21-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of his housing applications. There is insufficient evidence of fault causing sufficient injustice to justify our involvement.

Westminster City Council (25 012 430)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 21-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s investigation of noise complaints and the issue of an abatement notice to Miss X which she says was unjustified. There is insufficient evidence of fault causing any significant injustice which would warrant an investigation.

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (25 012 446)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 21-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr Y’s complaint against the Council’s handling of his homelessness case. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault it’s decision-making to justify our involvement. It was reasonable for Mr Y to use the appeals procedure to challenge this decision

Durham County Council (25 013 836)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 21-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate the Council’s decision to refuse access to the housing register. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

London Borough of Brent (25 015 435)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 21-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s delays in its handling of her homelessness application. The Council has already offered to make a payment that is in line with our guidance on remedies and further investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (25 004 739)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 20-Apr-2026

Summary: Miss X complains the Council has not dealt properly with her housing and homelessness causing avoidable distress. The Council made an unsuitable automatic offer, failed to provide suitable housing and did not pay for temporary accommodation. Miss X has been in emergency accommodation for too long. The Council should make a symbolic payment to Miss X and provide an action plan for service improvements.

London Borough of Hackney (25 011 073)

Statement Not upheld Allocations 20-Apr-2026

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s handling of his reports of noise nuisance from a neighbour, and its handling of his application for rehousing on medical grounds. Mr X also complained the Council failed to make reasonable adjustments as part of its consideration of his case. He says the Council’s actions caused avoidable distress, anxiety and uncertainty, and negatively impacted his mental health. I have ended our investigation because there is a body better placed to consider this complaint.