Ealing Council failed to respond to more than 50 emails from a homeless mother who said she and her children were left in unsuitable accommodation, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
The watchdog said Labour-run Ealing Council was at fault for a significant delay in dealing with a request to review the suitability of hostel accommodation provided to a woman, identified as Ms X, and her children. The council did not deal with the request within the expected timescale and did not issue an initial response until April 2025, despite the review being requested in October 2023.
Ms X and her children were placed in interim hostel accommodation in June 2023 after becoming homeless. The council accepted the main housing duty towards her in August 2023. Ms X asked for a suitability review in October 2023 and sent follow-up emails in November 2023 and December 2023.
According to the ombudsman decision, she later complained in November 2024, saying the hostel lacked private bathroom facilities and raising a safeguarding incident in which her daughter unlocked a door and was found partway down a flight of stairs. Ms X said she had sent more than 50 emails to a Ealing Council housing officer and the emergency housing team without receiving a response.
Housing law says councils should complete suitability reviews within eight weeks. The ombudsman said the delay caused Ms X frustration, upset and uncertainty, and deprived her of the chance to pursue an appeal process.
The council agreed to pay Ms X £200 and to remind staff to respond to suitability reviews within eight weeks. It moved the family into alternative accommodation in May 2025.
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, Councillor Gary Malcolm, leader of Ealing Liberal Democrats said: “Liberal Democrats say that Ealing Council does not fail to shock and fail residents especially those who are vulnerable. There seems to be more ombudsman cases than I have had hot dinners. Truly shocking. In this case the resident sent over 50 emails to the housing team but they again ignored the resident. How can anyone in charge of this area of the council not accept that they are failing, and failing badly.”
An Ealing Council spokesperson told EALING.NEWS: “We sincerely apologise for our failings in this case. Supporting residents with extra needs is a top priority for us.
“We have paid compensation to the resident for the distress and frustration it caused them. We have reminded staff about the importance of dealing with suitability requests in a timely manner and we will improve our communications with our service users.
“We recognise that there is still work to do to ensure all residents receive a consistently high level of service and we are committed to acting on feedback. We are working to ensure our services continue to improve so we deliver the very best experiences for our residents.”
