Wandsworth Council fined £250 for ignoring tenant's heating complaints
A watchdog found the council failed to visit a tenant for four months after she reported issues with her temporary accommodation.
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Both sources cite the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report and name the council.
Higher is stronger
Both articles clearly explain the situation, quote the ombudsman's findings, and state the outcome for the tenant.
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The language used is measured and focuses on the facts of the ombudsman's findings.
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Wandsworth Council failed to adequately respond to a tenant's complaints about heating, hot water, and damp in her temporary accommodation, a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report has found. The council took four months to visit the tenant after she first reported the issues in November 2024.
Ombudsman investigation
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The Ombudsman found no evidence that Wandsworth Council responded to the tenant, referred to as Ms X, until a visit in March 2025. Ms X had reported a lack of heating and hot water, along with damp, in her temporary accommodation provided after she faced eviction in May 2024. She stated that the issues were never resolved and her landlord had not responded to her complaints.
While the Ombudsman cleared the council of fault in its initial handling of Ms X's homelessness application or the accommodation offered, it found fault in how the council responded to her reports of disrepair. The watchdog stated that the council failed to keep the suitability of the accommodation under review, which caused Ms X a period of uncertainty.
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The council was instructed to issue a formal apology to Ms X and pay her £250. Ms X has since moved into alternative accommodation.
Questions this report answers
+Why has Wandsworth Council been ordered to pay a tenant £250?
Wandsworth Council must pay £250 to a tenant, referred to as Ms X, as compensation for the uncertainty caused by its failure to review the suitability of her temporary accommodation. This follows a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation.
+What issues did the tenant report to Wandsworth Council?
The tenant, Ms X, reported a lack of heating, hot water, and damp in her temporary accommodation. She first complained about these issues in November 2024 and stated they were never resolved.
+How long did the council take to respond to the tenant's complaints?
Wandsworth Council took four months to visit the tenant after she submitted her complaint in November 2024. The Ombudsman found no evidence of a response until the council visited the property in March 2025.
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