Brighton & Hove City Council: the register
Ruling 22 005 087
Folio 340
Finding: Fault found
- Finding recorded by the ombudsman
- Upheld
- Service
- Housing: Allocations
- Council
- Brighton & Hove City Council
- Body
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
- Decided
- Summary
-
Miss C complained the Council failed to provide adequate support about her housing situation which meant she stayed with relatives in unsuitable conditions for longer than necessary. We have found fault by the Council but consider the agreed action of a symbolic payment to recognise Miss C’s uncertainty and distress about the opportunity of being offered suitable accommodation sooner and future service improvements provides a suitable remedy.
Summary as published by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Remedies
Words in quotation marks are quoted from the ombudsman’s decision.
States worked out on 9 October 2026.
The ombudsman publishes no entry for a remedy.
| Ordered | Outcome publishedThe ombudsman publishes no entry for a remedy. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | What was ordered | Deadline | Payment | Date | Entry | Payment |
| 1 | Apologywrite to apologise to Miss C for the fault identified in the way it dealt with her homelessness application within one month of my final decisionDeadline as worded: within one month of my final decision |
Deadline passed 16 August 2023. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 2 | Paymentprovide a significant symbolic payment of £2,000 to recognise Miss C’s avoidable uncertainty and distress about the opportunity of being offered suitable accommodation much sooner within one month of my final decisionDeadline as worded: within one month of my final decision |
Deadline passed 16 August 2023. Outcome not published. | £2,000.00 | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 3 | Service changeprovide guidance to staff who manage homelessness applications to highlight the issues identified in this decision and ensure a joined up approach is used when dealing with applications within two months of my final decisionDeadline as worded: within two months of my final decision |
Deadline passed 16 September 2023. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 4 | Service changereview its approach to applicants subject to a section 21 notice to ensure it is in accordance with the Homelessness Code within two months of my final decisionDeadline as worded: within two months of my final decision |
Deadline passed 16 September 2023. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 5 | Service changereview and amend the allocations policy to ensure that all those entitled to reasonable preference under the Housing Act 1996 receive such preference under the Council’s schemeDeadline as worded: proposed date of December 2024 for approval of a revised policy by the relevant Committee |
No deadline stated | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 6 | Service changewithin three months of implementing the revised policy identify all homeless applicants currently owed a homelessness duty under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 who do not have an active application to the housing registerDeadline as worded: within three months of implementing the revised policy |
No deadline stated | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 7 | Service changewrite to those applicants explaining the fault found in this investigation and invite them to apply to the housing register |
No deadline stated | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| Stated payments ordered | £2,000.00 | Outcomes published by the ombudsman: none | ||||