Mother fleeing domestic abuse placed in unsuitable mixed-sex accommodation by council, Ombudsman finds

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found that the London Borough of Tower Hamlets failed to consider the impact of placing a vulnerable family with a history of PTSD from domestic abuse in mixed-sex shared accommodation.

The investigation found that the family had to live in accommodation that was so unsuitable the eldest child, who is disabled, regularly soiled themselves because they were scared of using the shared bathroom.

Outlining the background to the case, the Ombudsman said the mother, who has mental and physical health issues, moved to a refuge in Tower Hamlets from another part of the UK because she had family living in the borough.

She approached the council as homeless and asked for help.

The mother told officers she was concerned that she would be placed outside the council area. She said one of her children, who has mobility issues due to a health condition, and suffers from complex post-traumatic stress disorder, had only just returned to school after three years out of education.

The council told the mother there was nothing available locally and the only accommodation it had was in Kent.

The mother decided to sofa surf with family for 10 days before moving to interim bed and breakfast accommodation provided by the council outside the area.

The following month, the mother told the council about the impact the B&B was having on her child, who was anxious about using the shared facilities, and had nowhere to do their homework.

A social worker from a different borough told Tower Hamlets the accommodation was not suitable because of the family’s vulnerability, and that it was “detrimental to their mental and physical health”, the Ombudsman noted.

The family was moved to a one-bedroom flat in December 2022, but the mother complained they were overcrowded and had inadequate heating and hot water.

The investigation found that the mother and eldest child struggled to wash properly because of their disabilities, and often had to resort to using a jug and bucket to try to keep clean.

In June 2024, the council found the family alternative temporary accommodation.

The Ombudsman’s investigation found fault with the council for not keeping detailed records of the mother’s case, and for not offering suitable interim accommodation to the mother and her children when she approached it as homeless.

The report noted: “When [the mother] was provided with interim accommodation, she was there for more than nine weeks, when the law says B&B accommodation for families should be a last resort, and even then, only for a maximum stay of six weeks.”

The watchdog also found fault with the way the council assessed the suitability of the flat the family was then offered.

To remedy the injustice caused, the Ombudsman recommended the council:

• apologise to the mother;
• pay the family £5,000 for the time they spent in unsuitable accommodation and for the distress caused; and
• pay the daughter a further £1,500 for her “distress and indignity”.

The Ombudsman also recommended the council apologise and pay £200 to eight other people identified during the investigation whose reviews were delayed, and consider whether there is any further injustice to those people.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Ms Amerdeep Somal said: “I can find no evidence the council considered the massive impact placing a vulnerable family with a history of PTSD from domestic abuse in mixed-sex shared accommodation would have.

“The distress the child must have felt – at their age – of suffering incontinence because of their fear of using the shared bathrooms is palpable given the degrading and appalling circumstances they were in.

“The council must improve the way it assesses risk and suitability of accommodation as a matter of urgency to prevent other vulnerable people being placed in such awful situations.”

She added: “As part of my investigation the council told me it had a backlog of cases awaiting a review decision. I have asked it to remedy other people who may have been similarly affected by what has happened in this case.”

A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson said: “We fully accept the report and its findings, and we apologise to Ms X for the upset we caused her and her children.

“These findings came at a time when we were facing unprecedented demand for housing and homelessness services.

“Our team is working hard to improve and is already acting on the report’s recommendations.”

Lottie Winson