A homeless Hounslow mother has been provided with a new home after the council agreed with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s investigation into her case after initially rejecting the Ombudsman’s recommendations.

Following a report, published in April, into the woman’s complaint that she was left to sofa surf while pregnant by London Borough of Hounslow, the Ombudsman recommended the council apologise and pay her a sum for her distress, which the council agreed to do.

However, at the time the council did not agree to offer the woman the next suitable two-bedroomed property that became available.

The Leader of the council has since overturned that decision and the woman has now accepted an offer on a property.

Ms Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

“The recommendations we make are fair, practical and proportionate ways to both remedy council’s failures for the people who complain to us and improve local services for others.

“In this case, owing to the gravity of what had gone wrong, we believed the best way to put things right was to offer her the next suitable property that became available.

“I am pleased the council has now agreed with that decision. That the Leader of the council has carefully considered my report and decided to agree with my recommendations demonstrates the Ombudsman system and local scrutiny working as designed to improve local services and hold local authorities to account.”

Article date: 09 July 2025