Waltham Forest (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Waltham Forest Council apologises after failing to house a vulnerable homeless man. The Housing Ombudsman ordered over £1,000 in compensation.
After an at-risk person was left homeless for months because his housing application was not processed promptly, Waltham Forest Council issued an apology.
In February of this year, the independent Housing Ombudsman, which examines local administrations, examined his case.
Between March and June 2023, the man—whom the Ombudsman referred to as Mr. X—was homeless for about two and a half months.
After two years of “sofa surfing” at friends’ and family’s homes, he first approached the council in March 2023.
Mr. X informed the council that he had been diagnosed with dyslexia, gout, carpal tunnel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe depression, and anxiety. He was also going to weekly psychotherapy sessions.
Local authorities are required by law to provide residents at risk of becoming homeless with accommodation if they are assessed as having a ‘priority need’.
This has led to increasing shortages of temporary housing and councils relying more heavily on expensive hotels or hostels, which has put many in financial hardship.
Medical advisors at Waltham Forest Council determined Mr X was not vulnerable, however, even after he had been admitted to a mental hospital.
The council accepted that it owed him housing, but said he was not in priority need.
When he was discharged in mid-July, Mr X was provided with temporary accommodation by the NHS home treatment team (HTT). The HTT provides acute treatment for adults whose mental health is so severe they would otherwise be admitted to hospital.
Later that month, Mr. X told the council that he had made two attempts at suicide and that it was inappropriate to not consider him a priority.
In August, he presented the council with further medical data; but, in October, the committee confirmed that he was not in urgent need.
This letter was emailed to Mr. X by the council, along with an internal note from a housing officer congratulating him on turning down his request.
Following a short hotel stay, Mr. X protested to the council about the imprecise process, the unprofessional behaviour of council employees, and the extremely distressing email chain that showed officers congratulating one another on turning down his application.
A different medical advisor was appointed, and the town hall expressed regret. Mr. X was reclassified as being in priority need following an examination of his medical data. The council said that it had not previously known that he was on mood stabilizers or that he had a history of mania or suicide attempts.
Mr. X had not been disadvantaged because, despite the delays, he was informed that the current wait period for a house in Waltham Forest was eight years. However, a compensation offer of £250 was made to him.
The Ombudsman concluded in its investigation that the council was both at fault and had inflicted a “significant injustice” on Mr. X.
“Based on the information available and, given the low threshold to be applied, I consider the council should have provided Mr X with interim accommodation when he presented as homeless in March 2023,” the ombudsman wrote in February.
“The council’s failure to do so meant Mr X was street homeless for longer than he otherwise would have been. Mr X says this led to a suicide attempt and his admission to a mental health hospital. This is a significant injustice.”
The ombudsman also found there had been significant delays in the council’s handling of Mr X’s complaints.
In order to exchange best practices and better utilize resources, Waltham Forest works with nearby councils and outside organizations.
This partnership aids in locating and resolving systemic problems that cause delays.
In order to improve decision-making and detect any delays early on, the council is investigating the use of technology to expedite data gathering and analysis.
Understanding the needs and concerns of locals and community organizations is essential for the council to better customize its services.
“He is unhappy that the stage two response to his complaint is out of date and indicates the author made no effort to properly consider his circumstances,” the investigator wrote.
The council was mandated to pay Mr. X £1,170 in compensation and offer an apology for its shortcomings.
Ahsan Khan, the deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and regeneration, said:
“We’re sorry that we didn’t fully meet this resident’s needs in this case.
We accept the ombudsman’s findings, have apologised to and compensated the individual affected, and we’ve acted on all recommendations to improve our service.
At a time of acute housing need in London, we are determined to ensure that anyone who approaches us for help receives accurate advice and the support they’re entitled to.”
The authority was hit with £18,800 in fines in February of last year for three instances of serious maladministration.
In several incidents, the council neglected to address specific problems with mold, dampness, and disruptive behavior in its public housing.
Michael Gove, the housing secretary at the time, referred to the results as “unacceptable” and stated that the council’s response to the complaints was “far below the standard residents should expect.”
What steps does Waltham Forest Council take to prevent similar delays in the future?
Through its housing plan, the council places a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention, aiming to solve problems before they become homelessness.
Initiatives include assisting residents in obtaining benefits, offering mediation services, and collaborating with private sector landlords to alleviate deterioration.
In order to handle housing applications more quickly and efficiently, Waltham Forest is evaluating its internal procedures.
This entails improving interaction with candidates and making certain that the required data is obtained as soon as possible.
To make sure that officers are prepared to handle difficult situations properly and quickly, the council is investing in staff training.
Training on new laws and best practices for preventing homelessness is part of this.