Hounslow Council ordered to pay £1,000 for homelessness blunder

Hounslow Council has been ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation after a significant administrative failure left two individuals homeless for over a year. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the council at fault for closing the pair's homelessness application without proper notification and for failing to provide legally required accommodation.

The individuals, referred to as X and Y in the Ombudsman's report, first approached the council in February 2023 regarding their living conditions. They re-engaged in May 2023, stating they were homeless and sofa surfing. A council officer promised a follow-up call that never materialised. The council later initiated a housing register application, but the assigned caseworker had left the authority.

Lost file and lack of communication

Between January and April 2024, council officers reportedly attempted to contact X and Y about potential properties. However, the council could not provide evidence of these communications to the Ombudsman. In February 2024, a new housing officer contacted the pair, who were still sofa surfing. Three months later, the council closed their housing application, citing a lack of response, but failed to inform X and Y.

The Ombudsman's report stated that X and Y had remained in contact with the council. It also noted that the council had not transferred their homeless application to a new IT system when the caseworker left. The Ombudsman concluded that these issues, rather than any failure by X and Y, likely caused the lack of contact, leading to the council being at fault for closing the application.

During this period, friends of the couple confirmed to the council that X and Y were staying with different friends for between four and six nights per week. The Ombudsman determined that the council failed to provide interim accommodation, a fault also identified for 2024. The council did not accept its housing duty until June 2025.

In October 2025, the couple were offered a property that the council acknowledged was unsuitable for their needs, and no alternative was offered. The Ombudsman ordered Hounslow Council to pay £1,000 to X and Y for the distress caused. The council was also instructed to contact the individuals to ascertain if they still require housing assistance.

A spokesperson for Hounslow Council stated: "The council is constantly striving to improve its performance, this includes having the appropriate regard for LGSCO findings. We have apologised to the complainant and have taken the agreed actions, including a review of guidance on when temporary accommodation should be offered and recording of why it has not been."