London Borough of Hounslow (24 017 973)

Statement Upheld Allocations 09-Apr-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in carrying out a review of its housing register decision. The Council has already apologised, which is sufficient to remedy the injustice caused. On review, the Council upheld its original decision and there is insufficient evidence of fault in the way it made that decision to justify further investigation.

London Borough of Hounslow (24 011 933)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 16-Jun-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about children services’ actions. We have upheld Ms X’s complaint as the Council has now agreed to follow the Children Act statutory complaints’ procedure.

London Borough of Hounslow (25 003 448)

Statement Upheld Leisure and culture 23-Jun-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council managed Mr X’s allotment plot. This is because the Council has said it will take appropriate action to prevent reoccurrence of fault. Additionally, the Council has offered to waive Mr X’s allotment plot charges for a year as a remedy for injustice and there is therefore no injustice remaining. Nor are there any wider public interest issues to justify investigating.

London Borough of Hounslow (24 015 858)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 13-Jul-2025

Summary: There was fault by the Council in its handling of this homelessness case. It did not review whether the complainant was in priority need when it should, and required him to provide evidence he was homeless beyond what was legally required, and despite the fact it had already accepted he was homeless. This meant the complainant remained homeless for a period when the Council should have accommodated him. The Council has agreed to offer the complainant a financial remedy, and issue guidance to staff to ensure they correctly understand the law. The Council was also at fault because it gave the complainant inaccurate information about its deposit scheme, but this did not cause an injustice.

London Borough of Hounslow (25 001 420)

Statement Upheld Fostering 16-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council taking too long to secure a passport for Mr X’s foster child. There is not enough evidence of fault or injustice to Mr X in the way the Council dealt with his complaint, or the way it responded to the recommendations made by a final stage panel, to warrant investigation by us.

London Borough of Hounslow (24 017 728)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 17-Jul-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault for ending B’s college placement without an alternative in place, failing to follow the statutory timescales and process following a review of an Education, Health and Care Plan and delay reinstating B’s college place. The Council has agreed to apologise, make payments and act to improve its services.

London Borough of Hounslow (24 016 835)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 14-Aug-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to secure a school placement for her son. She adds it failed to provide her son with an education and the specialist provision in his Education, Health and Care Plan since they moved to the area in December 2023. We find the Council at fault for how it handled Mrs X’s son’s education and specialist provision when they moved to the area. This caused Mrs X upset and frustration, and her son lost out on an education and specialist provision. In response to our enquiries, the Council proposed apologising to Mrs X. It also proposed making payments to Mrs X for her son’s missed education and provision and the upset and frustration caused. We consider the Council’s proposals to be suitable recommendations to reflect Mrs X’s and her son’s injustice.

London Borough of Hounslow (24 013 763)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 25-Aug-2025

Summary: On behalf of Miss X, Ms D complained the Council failed to offer Miss X suitable interim accommodation after accepting she had a priority need. The Council said Miss X owed rent for the interim accommodation, but Ms D said Miss X had never accepted or stayed at the property. Ms D also said the Council failed to provide temporary accommodation for Ms D when it accepted the main housing duty and communicated poorly. We have not found the Council at fault for offering unsuitable interim accommodation. We have found the Council at fault for not terminating the interim accommodation sooner, and for failing to offer Miss X temporary accommodation when it accepted the main housing duty. We have also found the Council at fault for its record-keeping and communication. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss X and write-off some of the arrears Miss X accrued for the interim accommodation. The Council has also agreed to pay a symbolic financial remedy to recognise the avoidable uncertainty and frustration caused.

London Borough of Hounslow (24 015 455)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 21-Sep-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to offer her interim accommodation when it accepted the relief duty to her. She also complained it did not offer her interim accommodation while it considered a suitability review of a final offer of accommodation it made to her. We found fault by the Council on the matters we investigated. The Council agreed to apologise to Miss X and make her a symbolic payment in recognition of the injustice caused to her and her family.

London Borough of Hounslow (24 017 677)

Statement Upheld Charging 21-Sep-2025

Summary: Ms B complained an NHS Trust and a Council were wrong to decide her father was not eligible for reablement care when he left hospital. She also complained that they did not involve the family adequately in the discharge process. We have not found fault in how the organisations made their decisions or how they involved the family. However, we have found fault in how the organisations handled Ms B’s complaint. We have asked the Trust and the Council to apologise for the impact this had.