Service improvements

Leeds City Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Leeds City Council as a CSV file.

  • Leeds City Council (24 010 616)

    Category: Housing Date: 28-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council failed to consider evidence she provided in its decisions about her housing circumstances. She also said the Council failed to provide advice or follow correct procedures, communicated poorly, and sent letters to the wrong address. We have found the Council acted with fault by delaying its review of Miss X’s medical evidence. We have found the Council missed opportunities to consider whether Miss X was already homeless, or to consider planning the provision of interim accommodation. We have also found the Council communicated poorly. We cannot say how Miss X’s circumstances would have been different, but for the faults occurring, which causes uncertainty for Miss X. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss X, pay a financial remedy to recognise the uncertainty caused, and provide training for its officers. There are parts of Miss X’s complaint we cannot investigate. We explain why in our decision statement.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to provide relevant officers with training on chapters 6 and 18 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance. This guidance sets out how authorities should consider whether it is reasonable for an individual to continue to occupy their existing accommodation. This guidance also sets out the need to issue written decisions about an applicant's homelessness, explaining the reasons for adverse decisions.

  • Leeds City Council (24 000 336)

    Category: Housing Date: 30-Jul-2024

    Summary

    Miss B complained the Council failed to meet its duties to her when she became threatened with homelessness and then homeless. She says the Council wrongly advised her to stay in her rented property even after the landlord asked her to leave. We found fault in how the Council handled Miss B’s homeless application which caused her distress at a difficult time and meant she was subject to legal action which could have been avoided. The Council agreed to apologise to Miss B, review its procedures, and issue reminders to its staff.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to review its procedures for processing and recording homeless applications to ensure it meets its statutory duties and correctly records whether it owes a duty to provide interim accommodation;The Council agreed to issue reminders to relevant staff in its housing and homelessness teams about the need to ensure information in communications to applicants is accurate, and clearly sets out any duties acceptedThe Council agreed to issue reminders to relevant staff in its housing and homelessness teams about the need to ensure that staff agree, record and implement reasonable adjustments throughout the application process.

  • Leeds City Council (23 017 578)

    Category: Housing Date: 11-Aug-2024

    Summary

    Mr C complained about the Council’s handling of his housing application. The Council failed to consider him for properties and provided incorrect information about another property. The Council’s complaint handling was also inadequate. These faults caused Mr C distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has already apologised and provided a financial remedy, however the Council will make a further payment to recognise the personal injustice to Mr C.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind housing staff of the Council’s policy when a person is suitable for more than one property.

  • Leeds City Council (23 016 943)

    Category: Housing Date: 06-Oct-2024

    Summary

    The Council failed to inform Mr X of its decision that he was not homeless in March 2023, which caused him uncertainty. The Council later failed to make further enquiries into a disclosure that Mr X may have been homeless due to domestic abuse, which caused him further uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X for the injustice caused and carry out service improvements. We have not investigated Mr X’s complaint about his banding on the housing register as there is no worthwhile outcome achievable from further investigation.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind homelessness staff to send its decisions in writing. This includes if it decides a person is not homeless.The Council has agreed to remind homelessness staff to make further enquiries where a person indicates they are homeless due to domestic abuse and make a decision on whether any duty is owed in relation to this.The Council has agreed to remind staff to check for key information such as where there have been allegations of domestic abuse in a person’s homelessness application, before contacting the applicant for an assessment.

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