LGO raps council for failing duty to pregnant homeless woman

A local authority failed in its duty to a pregnant homeless woman when she was in urgent housing need, the Local Government Ombudsman has found.

“Miss Browning”, a young woman in her twenties, was told to leave her parent’s home after becoming pregnant. She moved to her sister and niece’s one-bedroom housing association in Richmond.

She was unable to stay with the sister, but wanted to live nearby so that she could benefit from her support. Miss Browning therefore approached the London Borough of Richmond as a homeless person in priority need.

The complainant said the Council refused to take a homelessness application or make enquiries, and failed in its duty to provide her with interim accommodation.

Miss Browning said an officer in Richmond’s Housing Options Service told her to make an application to another London borough instead. According to the LGO, the council has accepted that this should not have happened.

The complainant subsequently approached the London Borough of Wandsworth, where her homelessness application was dealt with promptly and she was provided with permanent housing.

The Ombudsman, Jane Martin, said: “This vulnerable young woman was badly let down by Richmond at a time when she was in urgent housing need. The council failed to offer advice and assistance, despite having a clear duty to do so.”

The LGO said Richmond should have accepted that Miss Browning’s visit triggered its duty to take a homelessness application and make enquiries, rather than turning her away.

“It was wrong for the Council to evade its duty by telling her to apply to Wandsworth instead,” Martin added. “Because no application was taken, no enquiries were made and no interim accommodation was offered. Nor was Miss Browning offered any other advice or assistance.”

The LGO described the notes recording Miss Browning’s visit to the Housing Options Service as poor and the handling of the case as careless. “There seems to have been a deliberate attempt to prevent access to housing assistance,” she found.

Richmond has accepted that it was at fault, the Ombudsman said. It has agreed to enter into a reciprocal housing agreement with Wandsworth to enable Miss Browning to move to suitable accommodation in its area. She will be nominated for a one-bedroom flat in her first preference area.

The Council will also pay the complainant’s removal expenses (up to £500) and a further £500 in compensation.