London Borough of Hillingdon (25 013 604)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 21-Jul-2026

Summary: Miss D complains the Council placed her in unsuitable interim and temporary accommodation and failed to provide housing assistance. I have found the Council at fault. Miss D had to stay in unsuitable accommodation for just over seven months and was caused avoidable time and trouble. The Council has agreed to pay Miss D redress and to apologise for its poor handling of her case.

Canterbury City Council (25 014 299)

Statement Not upheld Allocations 21-Jul-2026

Summary: Miss X complains the Council did not deal with her housing and homelessness properly, causing avoidable distress and incorrect housing priority being granted. The Council is not at fault.

Birmingham City Council (25 014 424)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 21-Jul-2026

Summary: The Council incorrectly charged Ms X rent for her temporary accommodation, delayed ending its recovery action and demonstrated poor administrative practice. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to recognise the distress, frustration and uncertainty caused to Ms X.

London Borough of Lambeth (25 017 098)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 21-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about disrepair in her temporary accommodation and the length of time she has waited for social housing. It would have been reasonable for Miss X to request review of the suitability of her temporary accommodation and then use her appeal rights if she disagreed with the Council’s decision. There is also insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s application of its lettings scheme.

Birmingham City Council (25 008 481)

Statement Not upheld Allocations 21-Jul-2026

Summary: Miss X complained the Council refused her a discretionary shortlisting request for a direct offer of a property, refused to provide aids and adaptation in her current accommodation and did not properly deal with her concerns about alleged noise disturbance. There was no fault by the Council with how it dealt with Miss X’s case.

London Borough of Ealing (25 009 689)

Statement Upheld Allocations 21-Jul-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council mishandled his housing application, incorrectly assessed his medical priority and mishandled subsequent homelessness application and review request. We find the Council at fault for failing to apply the correct exemption criteria to Mr X’s application. This caused Mr X to be removed from the housing register and caused him distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise, reinstate Mr X’s application and make a symbolic payment to remedy the injustice caused.

London Borough of Hounslow (25 010 158)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 21-Jul-2026

Summary: There is no fault in how the Council decided which band to place X and Y in. However, the Council failed to tell X and Y when it removed them from the housing register, failed to deal with their first homeless application properly, delayed processing their second homeless application, failed to offer them interim or temporary accommodation and failed to respond to a complaint. That caused X and Y distress and uncertainty. An apology, payment to X and Y and guidance for officers is satisfactory remedy.

Worthing Borough Council (26 009 627)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Homelessness 21-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the suitability of temporary accommodation. The complaint is late and there are no good reasons for us to exercise discretion to consider it now.

Bristol City Council (26 010 886)

Statement Upheld Other 21-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to reduce the height of a fence. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council reached its decision to justify an investigation of the complaint. The Council provided a proportionate remedy for the distress caused to Ms X by failing to notify her of the decision to reduce the fence height.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (25 018 172)

Statement Upheld Allocations 20-Jul-2026

Summary: Mrs C complained about the way the Council in respect of her housing application, dealt with her request for a medical assessment and her request for a direct offer of accommodation. We found fault in the Council’s actions. It has agreed to apologise to Mrs C, make a symbolic payment and improve its procedures for the future.