Service improvements

London Borough of Croydon

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027

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 - 9 of 9 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for London Borough of Croydon as a CSV file.

  • London Borough of Croydon (26 003 692)

    Category: Housing Date: 18-Jun-2026

    Summary

    We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the Miss X’s homelessness application. This is because the injustice has been remedied during our consideration.

    Service improvements

    Review the complaint handling of the two primary evidence documents and feedback within one month if the Council considers complaints handling training may be necessary.

  • London Borough of Croydon (25 013 873)

    Category: Housing Date: 11-Aug-2026

    Summary

    Miss X complained about the Council’s handling of her homelessness and housing applications following her approach to the Council as a survivor of domestic abuse. She said the Council’s actions caused significant avoidable distress to her and her children which led to a deterioration in their mental health. Miss X said the Council’s actions also meant she and her children had to sofa surf for months. We found fault by the Council. The Council has agreed to provide an apology and a financial remedy, and contact Miss X to discuss the provision of suitable temporary accommodation.

    Service improvements

    Share the Principles of Good Administrative Practice with relevant staff to ensure they are aware of the need to keep appropriate records and to provide a clear rationale for decisionsProduce an action plan to identify measures to reduce the backlog of homelessness applications and to manage the large number of homelessness applications receivedThe Council should review how it is applying its complaints policy in practice, using this decision as part of that review, and tell us what action(s) it will take to improve the way it deals with complaints.

  • London Borough of Croydon (25 009 604)

    Category: Housing Date: 21-Jun-2026

    Summary

    The Council was at fault. It failed to ensure the interim accommodation offered met Mr X’s wife, Mrs X’s medical needs. It also failed to complete a suitability review within 56 days which delayed securing suitable temporary accommodation. It also delayed its stage two complaint response to Mr X. These failings caused Mr and Mrs X avoidable distress, uncertainty, and prolonged unsuitable living conditions. The Council was not at fault for refusing to review the suitability of the accommodation. The Council agreed to apologise, make a payment, and implement service improvements to remedy the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    Through training, the Council will remind officers of their responsibilities to complete suitability assessments before offering interim or temporary accommodation, monitor and comply with statutory deadlines of completing suitability reviews, issue suitability review decisions advising applicants of their review rights, and adhere to its published complaint handling timescales.

  • London Borough of Croydon (25 009 507)

    Category: Housing Date: 19-Jul-2026

    Summary

    The Council was at fault. It delayed carrying out a review of the suitability of Ms Y’s temporary accommodation and communicated poorly. This caused Ms Y frustration and uncertainty. The Council will apologise and pay Ms Y a symbolic payment. The Council has already put some service improvements in place and will also make a new one.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind relevant staff of the guidance on the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman website about which Ombudsman to refer to for complaints about housing.

  • London Borough of Croydon (25 009 450)

    Category: Housing Date: 18-Aug-2026

    Summary

    Ms D complains the Council placed her in unsuitable temporary accommodation. I have found the Council at fault; it failed to take full account of Ms D’s housing need and case history when it moved her to a studio flat. Ms D remained in unsuitable accommodation for nine months. The Council has agreed to pay Ms D redress.

    Service improvements

    tell us what steps being taken to reduce delays in suitability review process

  • London Borough of Croydon (25 008 859)

    Category: Housing Date: 29-Jul-2026

    Summary

    Miss Y complained about the Council’s handling of her homelessness and housing register applications. We have found fault, causing injustice, by the Council in its failures to: properly process and determine her homelessness and housing register applications; consider the interim accommodation duty; and its complaint handling. The Council has agreed to remedy this injustice by: apologising, making a payment to recognise the upset caused; determining Miss Y’s applications; and making a service improvement.

    Service improvements

    the Council has agreed to arrange for a senior housing services manager to conduct a review into the reasons for the failures identified in this decision.the Council has agreed to develop an action plan to address the causes of the failures identified in this decision.

  • London Borough of Croydon (25 007 422)

    Category: Housing Date: 21-Jun-2026

    Summary

    Ms Y complained about the Council’s handling of her homelessness application. We have found fault, causing injustice, by the Council in: failing to deal with her application in a timely way; follow correct processes and lack of communication about her application; and its complaint handling failures. The Council has agreed to remedy this injustice by apologising, making a payment to recognise the upset caused and a service improvement.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to establish the reasons for the delay completing the review of its decision Ms Y was not in priority need;The Council has agreed to establish the current timescales for completing reviews of homelessness decisions and report to us on these current timescales.The Council has agreed to report to us on any action it is taking to ensure reviews are completed within the required timescales.

  • London Borough of Croydon (25 006 534)

    Category: Housing Date: 09-Jun-2026

    Summary

    The Council failed to review Ms X’s banding when she provided further evidence, failed to discuss the option of a disabled facilities grant for adaptations and delayed responding to some of her communications. That caused Ms X distress and leaves her with some uncertainty. An agreement to reconsider Ms X’s banding, a discussion about adaptations with the housing association, apology and payment to Ms X are satisfactory remedy.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide guidance to occupational therapists carrying out assessments for housing adaptations to make clear what government guidance says about what matters can be taken into account.

  • London Borough of Croydon (25 005 041)

    Category: Housing Date: 09-Aug-2026

    Summary

    Miss Y complained about the Council’s response to her request for a move to alternative temporary accommodation. We have found fault by the Council, causing injustice, in its: failure to follow the proper process, and delays, in response to Miss Y’s contact about the suitability of her current accommodation; its delay moving her to suitable accommodation; and its communication failures. The Council has agreed to remedy this injustice by: apologising; making payments to recognise the upset caused by living in unsuitable accommodation and uncertainty caused by its other failures; confirming its response to later complaint issues; and making service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review its procedures for operating its waiting list of applicants whoneed to move to new temporary accommodation to ensure they are regularlyupdatedThe Council has agreed to review its procedures for procuring temporary accommodation and tell uswhat it is doing to increase its supplyThe Council has agreed to review its guidance to officers to ensure it clearly explains thedifferent processes for an applicant’s change of circumstances and asuitability review request and share the learning from this decision withrelevant officers

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