London Borough of Merton (24 010 892)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 22-Jul-2025

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s handling of his homeless application. We find fault with the Council for delay, and have recommended a symbolic payment to Mr X for the frustration and distress caused.

London Borough of Merton (24 000 449)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 28-Aug-2025

Summary: We found fault by London Borough of Merton and NHS South West London Integrated Care Board as they failed to take appropriate action to promptly resolve disputes around Mrs Y’s care needs. This led to unnecessary delay, which in turn caused Mrs Y and her family avoidable distress and uncertainty. These organisations will apologise to Mrs Y and her family and pay them a financial remedy.

London Borough of Merton (24 018 929)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 11-Nov-2025

Summary: Ms X complains the Council was at fault in the way it dealt with her housing and homelessness applications. We have found fault by the Council as it failed to review the prevention duty owed to Ms X. But this has not caused a significant injustice to Ms X. So, we have completed our investigation.

London Borough of Merton (25 003 108)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 06-Feb-2026

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s handling of concerns about disrepair and risk in Ms Y’s supported living placement. He said she was at risk of harm and did not receive the support she needed. We found fault by the Council for causing delays in the statutory assessment processes for Ms Y, in its complaints handling, and it delayed progressing repairs with her landlord. As a result, Ms Y experienced a risk of harm and had a loss of care and support. Mr X also experienced an injustice. The Council agreed to apologise and make payment to acknowledge the impact its faults had on them and make service improvements.

London Borough of Merton (25 005 122)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 27-Feb-2026

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council’s failure to issue and amended Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan within the legal timeframe. We found the Council to be at fault. This caused Mrs X distress and frustration. To remedy this injustice, the Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment. We did not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the content of the draft and final EHC Plans because this was appealable to a tribunal.

London Borough of Merton (25 004 671)

Statement Upheld Building control 11-Mar-2026

Summary: Ms X complained about a Dangerous Structure Notice issued by the Council and its subsequent actions. We have found fault by the Council in its communication with Ms X about the Notice causing frustration and inconvenience. The Council has agreed action to apologise and make a symbolic payment.

London Borough of Merton (24 017 193)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 18-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide timely care for Mr Y when his needs increased. She said the Council delayed assessing Mr Y and delayed increasing his care package. The Council was at fault for delays putting Mr Y’s second care call in place. It agreed to waive some of Mr Y’s arrears and pay a symbolic financial remedy in recognition of the distress and financial impact its fault had.

London Borough of Merton (25 005 663)

Statement Upheld Council tax 24-Mar-2026

Summary: The Council was not at fault for the way it took recovery action for Ms X’s council tax debt. The Council was at fault when it failed to provide body camera footage when Ms X requested it, for an error in its complaint response to Ms X and when its Enforcement Agents chased a payment she had already made but this did not cause her a significant injustice.

London Borough of Merton (25 021 600)

Statement Upheld School admissions 25-Mar-2026

Summary: We found fault on Mrs Y’s complaint about the appeal panel’s failure to properly consider her appeal against the Council’s decision, acting as admission authority, to reject her application for her daughter to transfer to another school. There was a failure to show the appeal was properly decided. The decision letter failed to explain the reason for the decision. The Council agreed to send a written apology, arrange a new appeal hearing with a different panel, and provide guidance to the clerk to the panel.