Council Failures Left Disabled Person Sofa Surfing
IT issues meant borough mistakenly closed application for housing
The council failed to provide legally required accommodation
September 12, 2026
Hounslow Council left a disabled person sofa surfing after failing to inform them that it had closed their homelessness application.
The borough has apologised for the mistake which left two people, referred to as X and Y in the report, homeless for over a year. Despite one of the pair, named only as X, having an upcoming medical procedure at the time of the application which could put them at risk of infection, the council repeatedly lost track of their file and failed to provide legally required accommodation.
The pair initially contacted the local authority in February 2023 relating to their living conditions, and again in May, when they told the council they were officially homeless and sofa surfing. A council officer promised to call back the following week – this never happened.
After months of silence, the council initiated their housing register application, however, the assigned housing caseworker to the pair had left the council by this point. Internal council documents indicated that officers tried to contact X and the other person, named as Y, between January and April 2024 about potential properties with no response.
However, the council was not able to produce evidence of these communications to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO). In February, the new housing officer contacted X and Y who were still sofa surfing.
Three months later, the council closed their housing application citing lack of response from the pair – but did not notify them of this.
The Ombudsman determined that “X and Y remained in contact with the council about their homeless application”.
The report states: “It is also clear though the council accepted it had not transferred X and Y’s homeless application onto the new IT system at a time when X and Y’s caseworker also left.
“I therefore consider it likely it is those issues which resulted in lack of contact rather than any failure on the part of X and Y. In those circumstances I consider the council at fault for closing the homeless application.”
Throughout this period, friends of the couple confirmed with the council that they were staying with two different friends for a maximum of six nights per week, and in some cases only four nights per week. The watchdog therefore determined that the council failed the pair in not providing them interim accommodation.
The council also failed to offer interim accommodation in 2024 – another fault. It took until June 2025 for the council to accept housing duty.
The couple were offered a property the council accepted was not suitable for their needs in October 2025 – yet it did not offer another property. The Ombudsman ordered Hounslow Council to pay the pair £1,000 for the distress caused.
The council were also told to contact X and Y to see if they still require housing. A Hounslow Council spokesperson said: “The council is constantly striving to improve its performance, this includes having the appropriate regard for LGSCO findings.
“We have apologised to the complainant and have taken the agreed actions, including a review of guidance on when temporary accommodation should be offered and recording of why it has not been.”
Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter
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