Waltham Forest Council has been ordered to pay the male victim £1,600 in compensation after homeless claim went unheard from January to mid-March, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

A man fleeing domestic abuse was left homeless on the streets for five weeks after Waltham Forest Council failed to properly help him.

The man, publicly identified only as Mr X, approached the town hall for help in January and February, saying he could no longer live with relatives who were physically abusing him.

The council did nothing to help him until mid-March, under the threat of legal action, according to the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman, an independent mediator that investigates complaints about public authorities.

Though he was eventually offered a hotel placement, the council’s failure to confirm a room meant he spent three nights sleeping rough on the street.

He was assaulted during this time, he told the Ombudsman.

His possessions were also put at risk. Mr X was told he would need to pay the council £500 upfront to store his belongings while he was homeless, which was money he did not have.

Ombudsman Amerdeep Somal said Waltham Forest Council “let this man down”.

She continued: “This should not have happened, and I am pleased the council has acknowledged the gravity of its errors and accepted the recommendations I have made. I hope other survivors of domestic abuse will be treated better in future.”

Councillor Ahsan Khan, deputy leader of the council, apologised to the resident for the ordeal.

He said: “We apologise to the resident for their experience – we know that we did not reach the high standards that we set ourselves in this case.

“We take on board the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman’s findings and will ensure we use these to improve the service we provide for residents in the future.”

The Ombudsman’s investigation into Mr X’s complaint found the council failed to consider the man’s circumstances when he first approached it as homeless.

It also failed to consider whether he was vulnerable as a result of the domestic abuse he suffered when he contacted it in February, the mediator said.

The council has agreed to pay him £1,600 to acknowledge the distress caused, and remind staff about the low threshold for when to offer residents help with housing.

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