A mother from North London has been awarded more than £5,000 in compensation after serious failings by her local council left her and her two children sofa-surfing and sleeping rough for over 15 months.
Ombudsman finds council at fault
An investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) found that Brent Council was at fault for not informing the woman, referred to as Miss X, of her right to review unsuitable temporary accommodation offers. This critical oversight meant the family had no stable home from February 2024 until April 2025.
The council had accepted a housing duty towards Miss X and her children in September 2023 after they were threatened with homelessness. However, after they were evicted in February 2024, the support provided was deeply flawed.
Repeated offers of unsuitable housing
The report details how Brent Council repeatedly offered Miss X the same emergency accommodation located outside the borough. She declined each offer because the property was too far from her job and her children's school.
Despite her refusals, the council failed to tell her she could formally request a review of the suitability of these offers. Officials told her the distant property was all that was available "due to the chronic housing shortage in the area" and encouraged her to find private rented accommodation herself.
During this period, Miss X and her children were forced to sleep on friends' sofas. The council only informed her of her right to a review in April 2025, after more than a year of instability.
Compensation and apology
Following the LGO's findings, Brent Council has agreed to pay Miss X £5,250. This sum breaks down to £350 for each month the family was without suitable accommodation, acknowledging the prolonged distress and their vulnerability.
The council has also backdated her priority status on the housing register and offered a formal apology. A Brent Council spokesperson said: "We sincerely apologise to Miss X for the distress and hardship she and her family experienced... We have accepted the Ombudsman’s findings and continue to strengthen our processes."
The spokesperson added that improvements include ensuring all applicants are clearly informed of their review rights, improving advice quality, and reinforcing staff training to prevent a repeat of these failings.
