LGO raps council for delays in dealing with homeless man

The Local Government Ombudsman has criticised a council after a homeless man with mental health issues was forced to remain in bed and breakfast accommodation for around five months longer than should have been case.

Following the LGO’s finding of maladministration causing injustice, the London Borough of Hounslow has agreed to pay the complainant £750 and review its procedures.

The investigation by the Ombudsman, Dr Jane Martin, found that the council had considered the man as not “in priority need”.

The complainant had to leave his father’s home where he had been living because of domestic violence.

He approached Hounslow and told the council that he was homeless, that he suffered from depression and had a history of self-harming.

But the local authority did not take a homelessness application from him.

The man applied a second time a few weeks later. On this occasion Hounslow did take an application. However, it took nine months to decide on this step.

The local authority provided the man with B&B accommodation, but he complained about a lack of sleep because of the noise from music and neighbours.

The Ombudsman’s report concluded that Hounslow did not do enough to meet these concerns.

The council’s home treatment team found that the accommodation was adversely affecting the man’s mental health.

The complainant claimed that an overdose he took at the time was a result of his frustration at his housing situation.

Hounslow failed to review whether the temporary accommodation was appropriate after the man had been there for six months. It also did not update him with the progress of his application.

The LGO concluded that the man was forced to stay in B&B accommodation for five months longer than would otherwise have the case.

Dr Martin said the issue of whether the man was in priority need or not was “irrelevant”.

She said: “The issue was whether [the council] had reason to believe he was homeless or threatened with homelessness.”

The LGO also said she appreciated that this was a complicated case, but considered that the delay was unreasonable.

Hounslow has since held a review and implemented a pilot merger of its Homeless Prevention and Homelessness Assessment teams. This is understood to have resulted in a reduction in delays, the LGO said.