The survivor fled an abusive ex-partner late last February and was repeatedly ignored by the town hall after asking for emergency housing, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
A survivor of domestic abuse was left in unsafe housing for months after Waltham Forest Council failed to provide emergency accommodation.
The survivor, identified only as Mx Z, was fleeing an abusive ex-partner from another borough late last February when they approached the town hall for help.
They said they had a non-molestation order in place – a court order that protects individuals from harassment or violence by someone they know – needed rehousing and safeguarding.
A council officer said they would be in touch within 48 hours, but Mx Z did not hear back until early March. They formally complained to the council, but did not receive a response until June.
It was not until early April that the council determined they were in “priority need” of interim accommodation, which it has a legal duty to offer.
However, the Local Government Ombudsman, a third party mediator that handles serious complaints against authorities, said it saw “no evidence” any housing was offered, nor that the council discussed with Mx Z where they would stay in the meantime.
The council has apologised, paid them £750, and says it will improve going forward.
Mx Z formally escalated their complaint in mid-June, and said they were still at risk of harm.
The issues persisted into August, when the council acknowledged there had been a delay in processing the application before offering them interim housing in the borough.
However, it decided in December that Mx Z was “intentionally homeless,” effectively placing the blame on them.
Officers retracted this decision after Mx Z requested a review before reissuing it. As of May 2025, no decision on the review has been made and they are still living in interim accommodation.
Following an external review by the Ombudsman, Waltham Forest was at fault for causing Mx Z to live without suitable accommodation for five months. This was especially an issue because it meant they spent some time living in a property they had fled for their own safety.
It was also at fault for the lengthy delays in handling their initial complaint in early March. Councils should deal with initial complaints within ten working days, whereas Waltham Forest took three months.
In a 2024 report, the Ombudsman told the council to implement a string of new policies to better its services.
They included increasing staff levels to cut delays, training staff on when to offer interim accommodation, and reviewing its complaints process.
A spokesperson for the town hall said this week: “We work hard to help people who approach us needing help with housing issues.
“In this case, we did not meet the standards that residents expect.
“We apologise for the error, we have paid the individual compensation, and we are ensuring we put the ombudsman’s recommendations into effect.”
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