Brighton & Hove City Council: the register
Ruling 24 008 004
Folio 165
Finding: Fault found
- Finding recorded by the ombudsman
- Upheld
- Service
- Housing: Homelessness
- Council
- Brighton & Hove City Council
- Body
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
- Decided
- Summary
-
Mr B complained about how the Council handled his housing situation. The Council has not shown that it took into account the mould and disrepair when it decided the family should stay until the landlord’s notice expired. The Council did not always communicate with Mr B or deal with his complaints properly, and it did not always give its legal homelessness decisions in writing. This caused Mr B distress and uncertainty. The Council should apologise to Mr B, make symbolic payments, and remind staff that decisions should always be given in writing.
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 | ApologyApologise to Mr B.Deadline as worded: within one month of this decision |
Deadline passed 16 July 2025. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 2 | PaymentMake a symbolic payment to Mr B of £250 in recognition of the distress and uncertainty it caused him when it failed to notify him of its decisions, communicate with him properly, or properly consider whether it was reasonable for his family to stay in the privately rented house.Deadline as worded: within one month of this decision |
Deadline passed 16 July 2025. Outcome not published. | £250.00 | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 3 | PaymentMake a symbolic payment to Mr B of £100 in recognition of the time and trouble it put him too when it failed to deal with his complaints properly.Deadline as worded: within one month of this decision |
Deadline passed 16 July 2025. Outcome not published. | £100.00 | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 4 | Service changeShare this decision with the relevant staff and remind them that they must communicate decisions on homelessness in writing.Deadline as worded: within one month of this decision |
Deadline passed 16 July 2025. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| Stated payments ordered | £350.00 | Outcomes published by the ombudsman: none | ||||