Leicester City Council (23 015 268 fr)

Report Upheld Homelessness 28-Aug-2025

Summary: We have written this further report because the Council has refused to comply with some recommendations made in our report issued on 15 October 2024. Although the Council has complied with our service improvement recommendations and agreed to make a payment for distress, it has refused to remedy all the personal injustice caused to Ms X, by the Council’s fault. We are not satisfied with the Council’s explanation for refusing to fully remedy the personal injustice to Ms X. We have therefore issued this further report to highlight our continuing concerns.

South Kesteven District Council (24 010 719)

Report Upheld Homelessness 18-Aug-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about the lack of support and accommodation the Council provided after he became homeless in 2024. He says this caused him significant stress while he was street homeless and made his health conditions worse.

London Borough of Lewisham (24 016 564)

Report Upheld Homelessness 14-Aug-2025

Summary: Mr Y complained on behalf of Ms X about the Council’s handling of her homeless application after she received notice to leave a private tenancy. Particularly, that the Council told Ms X to stay in the property until the court issued a bailiff warrant. Mr Y says Ms X experienced avoidable financial loss and distress.

North Yorkshire Council (24 012 483)

Report Upheld Other 12-Aug-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s delay in dealing with his application for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) for an extension to his property. As a result, Mr X and his family have lived in overcrowded accommodation for longer than necessary which has had a significant impact on his children due to their needs.

London Borough of Southwark (24 014 256)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Allocations 29-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her housing case, the actions of an occupational therapist, and that her representative was excluded from meetings and being involved. This is because the accepted fault did not cause any significant injustice. In addition, there is insufficient evidence of fault, and an investigation would not lead to any further findings or outcomes.

London Borough of Camden (24 015 788)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 29-Jul-2025

Summary: Mr D complained the Council left him in unsuitable temporary accommodation. I have found fault by the Council, it has agreed to pay Mr D £450 for the three months delay moving him to suitable temporary accommodation.

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (24 016 897)

Statement Upheld Allocations 29-Jul-2025

Summary: Ms D complained the Council failed to provide debt relief advice and did not action her Personalised Housing Plan. I have found evidence of fault by the Council because it delayed reviewing her case and failed to provide tailored debt advice. Ms D was caused unnecessary time and trouble and avoidable delays. The Council has agreed to pay Ms D redress. The Council has already made service improvements because of this case.

London Borough of Redbridge (24 008 348)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 29-Jul-2025

Summary: The Council failed to properly assess the capacity of three family members to make a homelessness application when they told the Council they were suffering domestic abuse. The Council did not deal with the safeguarding referral appropriately or in good time, and did not offer the family social care needs assessments soon enough. It cannot show how it made the decision to offer a one-bedroom property and it took too long to deal with the complaint to it. The family missed out on interim accommodation, and they were caused distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise, make symbolic payments to the family, and review their housing needs. It will also review its training and procedures on mental capacity assessment, arranging interpreters, and monitoring case progress.

London Borough of Bexley (24 009 345)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 29-Jul-2025

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s handling of her homelessness application. She says the Council wrongly advised her to stay in the property even after the expiry of a valid eviction notice. She also says the Council failed to offer her temporary accommodation promptly which led to her getting into rent arrears after her landlord raised the rent and made the property unaffordable. We found the Council was at fault for not offering interim accommodation when Ms S became homeless. The Council agreed to apologise, pay her legal costs and pay her a remedy for the stress she experienced.

London Borough of Hackney (24 023 291)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 29-Jul-2025

Summary: We have upheld Mr X’s complaint about a delay in carrying out a review of the suitability of his temporary accommodation. We will not investigate further because the Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to remedy the uncertainty caused.