Hounslow Council removed a pregnant and homeless woman from its housing list without informing her, triggering an apology from the West London authority. The local government watchdog found the council at fault for failing to properly communicate with the mother regarding her housing application.
Background of the case
The woman, referred to as Miss H, applied to join the council's housing register in 2022. Around the same time, she contacted Hounslow Council for homelessness advice because her mother had asked her to move out. The local authority accepted a duty towards her due to her homelessness and cancelled her initial housing register application, as the homelessness application took priority.
Discovery of cancellation
In May 2024, Miss H contacted the council to check on her housing application. By then, she was pregnant, had older children, and was still living with her mother. The council informed her that the 2022 application had been cancelled and advised that she could not make another application because she was not working.
Miss H filed a formal complaint, stating she was not notified about the cancellation. In its first response, the council apologised for failing to notify her but noted she likely would not have been accepted onto the register since she was unemployed.
Ombudsman investigation
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman evaluated whether the council's housing allocations policy discriminated against Miss H. The Ombudsman found that the council did not discriminate, as it followed government guidance encouraging extra priority for working households. The council also provided an alternative route for applicants with protected characteristics via an Exceptional Needs Referral Panel.
However, the Ombudsman ruled that the council was at fault for its lack of communication in failing to notify Miss H that her housing application was closed, causing an injustice.
Remedial actions
To remedy the situation, the council agreed to apologise to Miss H and write to her offering the opportunity to apply for the Exceptional Needs Referral Panel. Hounslow Council was contacted for comment but did not respond.
