A visually impaired man has received over £6,000 after a council in north London took a lengthy 18 months to secure him a home that did not require him to navigate stairs.
The individual sought housing assistance after experiencing multiple falls and sustaining injuries at home due to the deterioration of his eyesight.
An inquiry conducted by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) revealed that Harrow Council was responsible for the delays that forced Mr. X and his family to live in inappropriate housing.
Harrow Council acknowledged the shortcomings in their service to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) and expressed regret for the distress caused to the family.
Taking into account Mr. X’s situation, the difficulties faced by his wife and children, and the overall impact on the family, the LGO concluded that the compensation should be capped at £350 per month for the entire period they resided in unsuitable conditions.
The LDRS reported that the local authority was mandated to pay Mr. X a total of £6,300.
At the beginning of 2023, Mr. X was dwelling in private rental housing with his wife and children.
He is registered as blind and submitted a housing application in March due to a decline in his vision.
In his application, Mr. X recounted several incidents where he fell on the stairs in his home, resulting in injuries, and expressed a desire to move to a property without stair access, as stated by the LDRS.
Mr. X raised concerns that the council was not prioritizing his case appropriately since, in June 2024, he was still residing in inadequate housing, despite having bid on numerous council properties, according to the LGO report.
After the council dismissed his complaint in July, Mr. X escalated the matter to the LGO, which eventually led to his family receiving temporary housing in November.
A spokesperson for Harrow Council commented, “While we strive to uphold high standards for our residents, we recognize that we failed to meet those expectations in this instance.
“We are currently reassessing our housing application procedures to ensure we learn from these delays and avoid similar issues in the future.
“Mr. X has now been provided with appropriate temporary accommodation, and we are maintaining contact with him to resolve any outstanding concerns.”
