Council told to pay £3,000 compensation to disabled resident placed in 'unsuitable' housing

The ombudsman found several faults with the council when looking over the case and concluded it had “caused injustice” to the woman, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Haringey Council has been told to pay £3,000 in compensation after a disabled resident at risk of domestic abuse was left in “unsuitable” accommodation.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman told the local authority to improve its services after a resident remained in emergency B&B-style accommodation for twelve weeks more than the legal limit and stayed six months in a studio flat where safety concerns were raised.

The ombudsman found several faults with the council when looking over the case and concluded it had “caused injustice” .

In response Sarah Williams, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and planning, said the council recognised the “distress caused” and had “apologised” to the resident, referred to as Miss B.

Cllr Williams added the council had taken “immediate action” to improve its services.

Miss B contacted the council in October 2023 declaring herself homeless, and explained she used crutches due to mobility difficulties; she was also pregnant. In November 2023 the council placed Miss B in B&B accommodation, on a third floor, with no lift.

In December 2023, Miss B provided medical evidence of her mobility needs, but it was not until March 2024 that alternative temporary accommodation was offered.

The ombudsman highlighted the council had “wrongly stated” Miss B “did not have any physical health issues” shortly after she approached the council. This “failure” resulted in her being placed in unsuitable accommodation, which she stayed in for twelve weeks over the six-week legal limit.

The alternative temporary accommodation, a studio flat, was deemed not suitable as Miss B sometimes used a wheelchair and she had been told by an independent domestic violence advocate the property was not safe “due to its location”.

In June 2024, Miss B gave birth, and despite a social worker and a midwife raising concerns about the studio the council did not “accept” the studio was “unsuitable”.

The midwife stated Miss B was co-sleeping with her baby because the flat “did not have space for a cot” and this increased the “risk of sudden infant death syndrome”.

Miss B also said water leaked from a window onto the bed she shared with her baby.

The ombudsman said the council “failed to properly access” the property’s safety and to “carry out an inspection”.

In November, Miss B was offered permanent accommodation after successfully bidding on a property.

The ombudsman also told the council to pay £1,800 for placing Miss B in the B&B accommodation as well as £900 for the six months she stayed in the studio flat and £300 for distress.

In response, Cllr Williams said: “We recognise the distress caused to the resident because they were living in unsuitable accommodation and have apologised for the mistakes made.

“We will learn lessons from the ombudsman’s findings and have taken immediate action to improve our services.

“We want the best living conditions for our residents and our handling of this case fell below the high standards we expect.

“Like all London boroughs, we are facing significant challenges as a result of the homelessness crisis. The acute shortage of affordable housing in the capital, coupled with a sharp rise in demand for temporary accommodation, has left us with increasingly limited options.

“I’m pleased this case has been resolved, and settled accommodation has been found for the resident.”

Local news needs your support

We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.