An investigation found that a North London council was ‘at fault’ for delays to a mum’s housing register application after she complained of ‘damp, mould and a mice infestation’ in her private rented accommodation. The mum claimed the conditions were making her and her son’s health problems worse but the council refused to award them priority housing.
A report by the Local Government Ombudsman highlighted faults by Harrow Council relating to delays in progressing the housing register application, as well as further delays in referring the case to the medical advisor and housing repair officer, which caused ‘avoidable distress’. The mum, referred to in the report as Miss X, claimed the delays meant they stayed longer in housing that ‘adversely affected their health’.
In February 2023, Miss X submitted an application to join the councils housing register after complaining her private rental home had damp, mould, and mice. She claimed the ‘poor condition’ of the property meant the council ‘should award her priority’ on the grounds of ‘unsatisfactory conditions’ that were making her and her son’s health conditions worse.
However, it wasn’t until September that Harrow Council referred the case to the housing disrepair enforcement officer and the medical advisor. After visiting the property, the enforcement officer reported that the landlord had ‘carried out some repairs to prevent mice entering the property’, according to the ombudsman report. Miss X remained unhappy with the condition of the property, so the council visited again and sent a list of necessary repairs to the landlord.
The medical advisor disagreed that the accommodation was ‘adversely affecting their health’ so the council did not provide priority housing. Instead it awarded ‘Band D’ – no priority – prompting Miss X to request for the decision to be reviewed.
Then in February 2024, Miss X was served with an eviction notice by her landlord so was moved up to ‘Band C’ priority by the council. A week later the local authority upheld its original decision that Miss X ‘did not meet the criteria’ for additional medical priority and was ‘working with the landlord’ to resolve the other issues.
The council visited the property again in August 2024, to assess the condition and subsequently offered Miss X interim accommodation and to find something more secure under their statutory requirement to provide homelessness relief duty.
In response to enquiries from the ombudsman, Harrow Council said it was still awaiting the Environmental Health report to confirm the accommodation’s ‘hazard category’ and would review the priority banding once it has been received. It also confirmed that, if applicable, it would be backdated.
The ombudsman concluded that ‘maladministration and service failure’ caused the delays, which resulted in ‘avoidable distress’ to Miss X for the ‘uncertainty of not knowing’ her eligibility for higher banding. The report sets out that the council should apologise to Miss X, as well as pay her £200 compensation and issue the Environmental Health report.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), a spokesperson for Harrow Council said: “We recognise that our standards fell short of the high standards that residents should expect to receive. We have apologised to Miss X for the distress this has caused.”
They added: “We accept the findings and recommendations of the Local Government Ombudsman and are taking steps to ensure the service we deliver is more efficient, timely and supportive.”
Grant Williams is a journalist and Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Reach PLC, reporting on local government, politics and community issues across London. As part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he has contributed to Harrow Online, covering council decisions, housing developments, transport, planning matters and stories affecting local communities across Harrow and Brent.
