Luton Borough Council told to pay mum £1,200 over housing error

The family were housed in a B&B which the ombudsman said was "challenging" and unsuitable

A council has been told to pay a mother £1,200 after she was left with no suitable housing for months due to its failures.

The woman was moved into unsuitable bed and breakfast accommodation by Luton Borough Council following a flood at her temporary flat.

The council then failed to ensure the woman had anywhere to stay after the B&B became unavailable.

The authority said it accepted the findings.

As well as ordering the council to pay the woman, the ombudsman also recommended the council improve record keeping and apologise.

The woman, identified as Miss D in the report, claimed the B&B room had nowhere for her young daughter to sleep and nowhere to prepare food for her baby.

'Injustice'

She also said a health visitor had informed the authority the room was unsuitable but the council "failed to offer a review", the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) said.

She told the ombudsman she often stayed in her office or with family and friends but used the hotel as her base.

The report said: "This fault caused injustice as Miss D did not request a review of accommodation which was, on the evidence, unsuitable for her needs."

It said it was clear the B&B "would have been challenging" for her family.

In early September another organisation "took over the hotel for another purpose" and tenants were told they would be evicted on 5 September.

Miss D was not aware of this having not been at the B&B and lost her possessions.

She was finally offered suitable housing in November 2021 after a complaint was made.

A spokesperson for the authority said: "We accept the decision of the ombudsman.

"We have apologised to Miss D, made a payment to her and have committed to a programme of remedies and improvement."