Council does U-turn on implementing recommendation of Ombudsman on remedy in homelessness case where pregnant woman had to sofa surf
The London Borough of Hounslow has agreed – following the intervention of its Leader – to implement a recommendation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that it offer a homeless mother the next suitable two-bedroom property that became available.
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In April the council confirmed it would apologise to the complainant, who said she had been left to sofa surf while pregnant, and pay her a combined £3,750.
However, the local authority’s Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Homelessness, also insisted that at all times in the case the council had acted legally and in line with housing policy.
She added that the council would not implement all the Ombudsman's recommendations and did not accept that there was evidence that a homelessness application would have been successful, even had one been made.
The LGSCO has now revealed that the Leader of Hounslow, Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, had overturned the decision and the complainant had accepted an offer on a property.
Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “The recommendations we make are fair, practical and proportionate ways to both remedy council’s failures for the people who complain to us and improve local services for others.
“In this case, owing to the gravity of what had gone wrong, we believed the best way to put things right was to offer her the next suitable property that became available.
“I am pleased the council has now agreed with that decision. That the Leader of the council has carefully considered my report and decided to agree with my recommendations demonstrates the Ombudsman system and local scrutiny working as designed to improve local services and hold local authorities to account.”
Hounslow Council has been approached for comment.
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