Civic centre ordered to compensate the man £400 on top of a previous payout after failure to find suitable housing, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

A vulnerable man ended up sleeping rough after Enfield Council failed to find a suitable property for him, according to an ombudsman report.

The council was ordered to compensate the man £400 on top of a previous payout after the failure to find suitable housing.

The man, referred to anonymously as Mr X, has mental health and physical needs as well as reduced mobility.

In March 2024, Mr X accepted an offer of accommodation from the council after presenting himself as homeless, but had not realised it was a private rent offer.

In April, he asked the council for a suitability review but received no response. He asked again in July, having obtained legal representation.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman which investigated the case found the lack of response “a fault” and noted Mr X could not claim Universal Credit and the council would not allow him to claim housing benefit.

Mr X’s legal representative informed the council of this as well as the distance of the property from Mr X’s family, which made it “impossible” for them to provide support and this posed a “safeguarding risk”.

In October last year, the council said it would look to find another property but Mr X’s family claimed he should receive support for the months spent in the accommodation. However, the council said “unaffordability” was not a reason for unsuitability.

The watchdog noted in its report when dealing with Mr X and his housing the council failed to “show flexibility and sensitivity” expected given Mr X’s mental health and physical needs and to “take into account Mr X’s individual circumstances”.

Shortly after, the council offered Mr X a property in the north of England but this was deemed unsuitable due to its distance from his family. The council did however offer to pay Mr X £600 for the months spent in the unsuitable accommodation.

But by January this year Mr X’s rent arrears had amounted to £7,700 and Mr X received an eviction notice with the date of early February to vacate the property, which the council failed to cancel.

Mr X, after receiving the notice, left the property for a few days and slept rough before being advised by his legal representative to return. The watchdog again noted this “caused significant distress” and led to Mr X feeling “threatened” by ongoing debt recovery action.

At the end of January the council made Mr X an offer of a previous property he had been living in calling it “suitable for you and your family to occupy on all grounds”.

The council also wrote off his rent arrears but the watchdog did not consider £600 “sufficient even as a symbolic payment” and along with apologising ordered the council to pay £400 in addition.

Update (22nd September):

An Enfield Council spokesperson said: “We are sorry for the distress caused in this case and we fully accept the findings and recommendations of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

“The health, wellbeing and safety of our residents is always our top priority, and we recognise how difficult this situation has been. We are committed to learning lessons from this case and ensuring these experiences shape how we respond in the future.

“Demand for homelessness advice and temporary accommodation continues to rise and has skyrocketed over the past years. Unfortunately, suitable homes and temporary accommodation options in Enfield and London very limited. Nevertheless, we will continue working hard to support residents in need.”

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