Wandsworth Council ordered to pay £500 for homelessness application mishandling

Wandsworth Council must pay £500 in compensation to a resident, referred to as Ms X, for failings in its handling of her homelessness application. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the council caused Ms X distress and uncertainty through delays and the withdrawal of accommodation offers.

Application delays and withdrawn offers

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Ms X submitted a homelessness application to Wandsworth Council in March 2025 after receiving a Section 21 notice to leave her rented property. She reported that the council did not respond to her application despite repeated requests for updates. The council asked Ms X to resubmit documents twice in May, which she stated impacted her mental health. An assessment meeting was arranged later that month.

The Ombudsman found the council at fault for delaying Ms X's assessment and for requesting she resubmit information. The report also stated the council delayed accepting its duty to assist Ms X in finding accommodation for approximately three weeks, only doing so in early August. The authority was also found at fault for not arranging emergency housing for Ms X and her children, despite their priority need.

Accommodation issues and final placement

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Wandsworth Council withdrew its first temporary accommodation offer to Ms X in September because the property was too distant from her children's school. The Ombudsman noted the council did not actively seek another placement until Ms X prompted them. A second offer in November was withdrawn due to unexpected delays in property repairs. The council eventually offered Ms X suitable temporary accommodation at the end of November, which she accepted and moved into with her children a week later. This resulted in an overall delay of three months in securing accommodation.

The Ombudsman ordered Wandsworth Council to apologise to Ms X and pay her £500. This payment covers the delays in processing her application, accepting its relief duty, sourcing accommodation, and poor communication. The Ombudsman's report indicated that service improvements have been implemented by the council to prevent similar issues in the future.

A spokesperson for Wandsworth Council stated that the authority takes the Ombudsman's findings seriously and is committed to learning from the case. The council acknowledged that improvements have already been made to its homelessness service to better support residents. The spokesperson reiterated an apology for any distress caused to Ms X.