Wandsworth Council Apologizes After Failing to Rehouse Mother for Nine Months
A South London council has been forced to apologize and pay compensation after a watchdog investigation revealed it failed to take action for nearly nine months to rehouse a mother living in what was deemed unsuitable accommodation. Wandsworth Council has offered the woman, referred to as Mrs X, £500 for the distress and uncertainty caused by its systemic failures.
Chronic Delays in Housing Duty
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report found that Wandsworth Council completely neglected Mrs X's case between June 2024 and January 2025, failing to contact her or take any substantive action during this critical period. This shocking inaction occurred despite the council having accepted it owed her both relief and main housing duties.
Mrs X initially applied to the council as homeless in October 2023, stating her current property was uninhabitable. The council acknowledged its duty to find emergency accommodation in November 2023, but the offered property was refused by Mrs X as it was too distant from the local hospital - a crucial consideration given her son's medical needs.
Repeated Refusals and Council Inaction
In March 2024, the council accepted it owed Mrs X the main housing duty, formally recognizing her current accommodation as unsuitable. However, when another property was offered in May 2024, Mrs X refused it due to significant damp issues that would have adversely affected her son's health.
The ombudsman report states: "This was fault. While this left Mrs X in unsuitable accommodation, on balance, I cannot say when Mrs X would have left the accommodation had the council acted during this time. Mrs X had already turned down two offers of accommodation by the council. The delay caused Mrs X a period of distress and uncertainty for which I have recommended a remedy."
Complaint Handling Failures
The investigation further revealed that Wandsworth Council consistently delayed responding to Mrs X's formal complaints, exacerbating her frustration and uncertainty. The council took almost 50 working days to respond to her stage one complaint, despite its policy requiring a response within 15 working days.
Similarly, the stage two complaint response was delayed by 10 working days, taking 35 working days instead of the required 25. These procedural failures compounded the already stressful situation for the family.
Resolution and Council Response
Following the provision of new medical information in February 2025, the council finally reassessed Mrs X's case and offered another property, which she moved into the following month. The council has since agreed to the ombudsman's recommendations, including the apology and £500 compensation payment.
A Wandsworth Council spokesperson stated: "We're sorry for the distress caused to this individual and accept that we should have acted more swiftly in this case. We have offered an apology and paid the compensation ordered. We take our responsibilities towards vulnerable residents incredibly seriously and are looking at ways to ensure this does not happen again."
This case highlights ongoing challenges in London's housing crisis, particularly regarding vulnerable residents with specific medical needs. The ombudsman's findings serve as a stark reminder of local authorities' legal obligations to those in unsuitable accommodation and the human cost when these duties are neglected.
