London council delayed for 15 months in accepting main housing duty towards domestic abuse survivor: Ombudsman

It also took nine months to respond to her stage two complaint, leaving her in unsuitable accommodation for at least a year longer than necessary, according to a report from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

After the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman intervened, the council agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment of £1,800 in addition to £300 already offered.

The resident, who had a history of domestic abuse and serious health issues, approached RBKC as homeless in December 2022 and was placed in interim accommodation but received no further assistance for over a year.

A representative of the resident repeatedly raised concerns during this period about the suitability of the housing and lack of progress, but the council failed to act promptly, the Ombudsman said.

Following a complaint and further medical evidence, an occupational therapy assessment in late 2024 confirmed the property was unsuitable due to the resident’s mobility needs.

The council eventually accepted the main housing duty in December 2024 and acknowledged delays and errors, including not allocating the case properly.

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After the resident was awarded additional housing points and secured suitable permanent housing in March 2025, Kensington & Chelsea apologised and offered £300 compensation.

RBKC also admitted 41 other similar cases had also been affected.

The Ombudsman said the council’s failure to accept the relief duty towards the complainant, its failure to enquire into her situation and its failure to draw up a personal housing plan all contributed to fault which meant the resident was unable to join the housing register to bid for her own accommodation.

There was also fault in the failure to ask for any up-to-date information to ensure it had an accurate picture of the resident’s circumstances, and in the delay in deciding on the main housing duty for another seven months, despite assuring that case was being prioritised.

This fault left the resident in unsuitable accommodation without a right of redress.

It is likely that the resident could have been rehoused in permanent accommodation by early 2024 if the council had acted sooner and in accordance with the legislation and guidance.

The Ombudsman welcomed the council’s acknowledgement of fault causing injustice and the offer of £300 but decided that this amount only addressed the distress caused by the delay in dealing with the complaint and an additional payment was appropriate for the length of time the resident spent in unsuitable accommodation.

RBKC will therefore make a payment of £1800 in addition to the £300 already offered, broken down as £1,200 for the four-month period spent in unsuitable accommodation and £600 for the uncertainty caused by the excessive delay in reaching a decision on her homeless case and the lost opportunity to bid on suitable properties at an earlier point.

Kensington & Chelsea has been approached for comment.

Harry Rodd