Tower Hamlets did not do enough to help family facing homelessness
Posted 13.05.24
Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman: Further reading
London borough of Tower Hamlets did not do enough to help a family who were about to be evicted by their landlord, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found.
The family's landlord served them with an eviction notice in November 2021, so they contacted the council for help. But instead of taking action to help the family, it did not respond properly.
As they had nowhere else to go, they had to stay put. The father was disabled, and the extended family struggled to find another suitable property.
The Ombudsman's investigation said the council did not meet its duties when the family first contacted it. The council should have had reason to believe the family were eligible for housing assistance and therefore provided them with interim accommodation, but it did not do so.
As a result, the family spent many months not knowing how or when the council would help them. They were eventually evicted by bailiffs, had to ask friends and family to look after their belongings, and spent several months in bed and breakfast accommodation away from their support networks and health services.
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