News

Jun 27, 2023

Liverpool sofa

A pregnant mother has received £2,000 in compensation after a council failed to

A pregnant mother has received £2,000 in compensation after a council failed to find her somewhere to live and left her having to "sofa surf".

The vulnerable young woman was repeatedly ignored as she tried to secure housing from Liverpool Council, the Local Government Ombudsman found.

The authority had a series of opportunities to help her but failed to do so, the watchdog said.

The council has apologised and promised to make improvements.

The woman, referred to in the hearing as Ms X, and first approached the authority in early 2021, saying she had been left to "sofa surf".

She said she was also separated from her 10-month-old daughter, who had to stay with her former partner, adding to her distress.

According to council records, Ms X was told to apply to join the housing register to secure a property and the authority encouraged her to be "proactive" in making her application and exploring private rents.

Ms X contacted the council on three occasions in March 2021 but did not receive a substantive response, the ombudsman said.

Four months later, Ms X said she had paid off existing arrears with a previous landlord and needed help and advice, as she was continuing to sofa surf with her daughter, and could not register for choice-based letting as she did not have a fixed address.

She still did not receive a response.

A further eight enquiries were made by the now pregnant woman to the council by email and phone, saying she was "struggling to cope."

It was not until October 2021 that the council assessed her needs and secured temporary accommodation when Ms X was about to find herself sleeping rough.

After her former landlord claimed they were still owed money, progress on Ms X's case stalled, prompting her to seek assistance from her MP, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

On 21 December, nine months after originally raising her case, the council acknowledged in a letter she was homeless and eligible for support.

She was offered permanent accommodation in February 2022 following a formal complaint, but the property earmarked for her was not ready and she was referred back to the housing panel.

She finally received the keys to a new home in April 2022.

The ombudsman said the council had "multiple opportunities" to help Ms X and had failed to do so causing her "avoidable distress and frustration during a time when she was particularly vulnerable".

A council spokesman said: "We accept that our handling of this case fell below an acceptable standard. Unfortunately the delay in responding to the complaint further exacerbated the issue in helping Ms X to find suitable accommodation, and for this we have sincerely apologised.

"We acknowledge and accept the findings of the ombudsman and are using this case to develop the service and make the necessary improvements required."

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Liverpool City Council