A homeless mother and her child were left in unsuitable accommodation for around 13 weeks longer than they should have been after Ealing Council took too long to review her housing case, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
The Ombudsman ruled Labour-run Ealing Council was at fault over delays reviewing her homelessness case and for its “inconsistent communication” with Miss X during the process.
In its findings, the Ombudsman said the faults caused “avoidable distress and uncertainty” and meant the mother and child “were deprived of suitable accommodation for longer than they otherwise would have been”.
The woman, referred to as Miss X, approached the council in December 2024 after her tenancy ended because of concerns about her and her child’s safety.
The council initially decided she was not homeless.
But after challenging the decision, Miss X said she and her child were left sofa-surfing, moving between temporary places to stay while waiting for the case to be reviewed.
Under housing rules, councils are meant to complete homelessness reviews within 56 days. However, the Ombudsman found Ealing Council did not overturn its original decision until the end of May 2025 — around 11 weeks after the deadline.
The Ombudsman said: “Miss X and her child were in unsuitable and unstable accommodation between 14 March and 17 June, around 13 weeks longer than they otherwise would have been.”
The council later helped Miss X secure private rented accommodation, which she moved into in June 2025.
The Ombudsman also said it had made several recommendations to Ealing Council over the past year relating to homelessness reviews and interim accommodation, and would continue monitoring the council through ongoing casework.
Ealing Council has agreed to apologise to Miss X and pay £1,050 in compensation.
Councillor Mark Sanders, Ealing Liberal Democrats spokesperson for honesty and accountability, said: “It is alarming that Ealing Council ignored concerns raised by professionals in the case of a vulnerable woman and her child, then compounded the error by failing to handle the complaint in a timely manner or give a reason for the delay.”
An Ealing Council spokesperson told EALING.NEWS: “We have sincerely apologised to the resident for the delay and communication issues identified and recognise the impact this had on her and her child.
“We have agreed to the recommended actions, including providing a formal apology and financial remedy, and will provide evidence to the Ombudsman once these have been completed.
“We have already taken steps to improve our services, particularly around providing interim accommodation more quickly and completing reviews within statutory timescales. We are continuing to strengthen our processes to ensure residents receive the timely support and communication they need.”
