London Borough of Camden
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
84% Complaints upheld by London Borough of Camden
84% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 85% in similar authorities.
16 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for London Borough of Camden's population, this is
7.3 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
8.2 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 19 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
100% of cases were successfully implemented by London Borough of Camden
100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 99% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 14 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
0% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by London Borough of Camden
In 0% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 12% in similar authorities.
0 satisfactory remedy decisions
Statistics are based on a total of 16 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
View all satisfactory remedy decisions
Annual letters
We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.
Public reports ?Find out more about public reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following public interest reports against London Borough of Camden
London council set to learn from how it handled COVID business grants
Camden Council has agreed to reconsider how it will deal with businesses that missed out on COVID grants following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Camden’s poor complaint response prompts further Ombudsman investigation
London Borough of Camden failed to carry out a recommendation to apologise to a man for its poor handling of a complaint, until the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman chased it for a response.
Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements
Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.
Case reference: 23 009 245
Category: Environment and regulation
Sub Category: Antisocial behaviour
- Review its policy to ensure it makes reference to a right of appeal, as set out the ASB case review guidance.
Case reference: 23 007 708
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Other
- The Council has agreed to remind its housing staff that where they decide to depart from a legal duty, such as treating an applicant as not in priority need for housing when it has reason to believe they are, that it send this decision to the applicant in writing and seek their agreement.
- The Council has agreed to remind its housing staff to record notes from its phone conversations with housing applicants on the same day as the conversation occurs to ensure reliability.
- The Council has agreed to demonstrate it has taken steps to improve its capacity to respond promptly to homeless applicants and ensure it does not miss important information through messages.
- The Council has agreed to demonstrate that it has looked into what led to its delays in the following areas and considered how to prevent these occurring in future:• processing the initial homelessness application;• deciding it owed a relief duty; and• deciding it owed a main housing duty.
Case reference: 23 007 488
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Allocations
- The Council will review how it deals with requests to review housing priority decisions. It should provide an updated action plan showing the actions it is taking to reduce delays and how this will be monitored.
Case reference: 23 006 728
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Allocations
- The Council should review its housing allocations process to ensure measures are in place for progressing medical assessments in a timely manner and for ways to deal with any delays.
Case reference: 23 005 209
Category: Other Categories
Sub Category: Other
- The Council should review the information it provides in response to complaints that are not covered by its complaints procedure to ensure it provides an adequate and accurate response.
Case reference: 23 003 910
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Other
- Review its template letters for housing register application decisions to ensure the Council provides a clear explanation of how applicants can seek a review of those decisions and to ensure the letters comply with the requirements set out in paragraph 5.23 of the statutory guidance.
Case reference: 22 016 407
Category: Transport and highways
Sub Category: Parking and other penalties
- The Council will remind staff in its call centre(s) that: they should signpost people to the corporate complaints procedure if they think the service user might have a complaint;
- they should ask if that service user needs any reasonable adjustments in order to make their complaint; and,
- that the Council’s equality duty is anticipatory: staff should not wait for the person to ask for a reasonable adjustment.
Case reference: 22 016 404
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Other
- The Council has agreed to share a copy of this decision with staff in the relevant departments to identify learning from this complaint.
- The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that even where it must rely on B&B to meet its accommodation duty, it should consider and record whether particular applicants need accommodation in or near the borough for it to be suitable.
- The Council has agreed to ensure it tells homeless applicants in short-term B&B placements who need to move to another hotel where they will be going with at least 24 hours’ notice.
- The Council has agreed to identify a means of ensuring oversight of the relevant dates and deadlines of a homeless application, including when the 56-day relief period will end and a main housing duty decision is due.
- The Council has agreed to provide training or guidance to relevant staff on the circumstances in which the Council has a duty to protect the property of a homeless applicant.
Case reference: 22 012 415
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Allocations
- The Council will remind all relevant officers the need to ensure housing register decision letters explain what information was considered and the reasons for the conclusions reached.
Case reference: 22 011 895
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Other
- By training, or other means, remind officers of the provisions of its complaints procedure and that complaints about statutory reviews, such as eligibility for the housing register, will not be considered through the complaints process.
Last updated: 4 April 2015