Council's Poor Communication Causes Anxiety for Abuse Victim
Directed by watchdog to apologise and pay compensation
The Ombudsman identified a fault with the way the council handled the case
December 5, 2025
Hammersmith & Fulham Council has apologised to and paid a domestic abuse victim £250 due to “frustration and uncertainty” caused by poor communication over her housing.
The borough, which was providing the woman with temporary accommodation, failed to inform her that it had accepted main housing duty until she requested an update.
The Local Government Ombudsman found the issue delayed her ability to ask for a review of her property and caused “frustration and uncertainty”, though that it “did not ultimately affect her housing situation”.
A spokesperson for Hammersmith and Fulham Council confirmed the local authority has apologised and compensated the woman, in addition to reinforcing to officers “the need to follow procedures when dealing with homelessness cases”.
According to the Ombudsman’s report, which refers to the woman both as ‘Mrs X’ and ‘Miss X’, the council was first contacted in February 2023 after she was made homeless due to fleeing domestic abuse.
Hammersmith and Fulham provided her with interim accommodation, though in the May Ms X raised concerns about her safety due to seeing a friend of her abuser nearby.
“The Council investigated Miss X’s concerns and asked her to provide a list of areas that she perceived as being unsafe,” the report states. “The Council explained there was a shortage of properties and assisted Miss X to find a private rented property.”
The next contact was made in August 2023 when Ms X requested an update on her case. The local authority apologised for the lack of communication and told her it had accepted the main housing duty several months prior, meaning she could request a review of the property’s suitability.
A review was subsequently carried out with the council finding the accommodation reasonable and appropriate.
The Ombudsman wrote, “Over the next year, Miss X continued to tell the Council that she felt unsafe in the temporary accommodation, and it was therefore unsuitable. The Council said that because the incident had taken place over a year ago and there had been no further incidents, the property was safe and suitable. However, due to the anxiety the situation was causing Miss X, the Council made a discretionary decision to consider alternative temporary accommodation for Miss X.”
The council worked with the woman to find private rented accommodation though due to her and her family’s needs no property was secured.
In December 2024 she asked the council to withdraw her housing application so she could approach other local authorities, and in February 2025 it ended its duty. Ms X then moved out of the temporary accommodation in April.
In their findings the Ombudsman identified a fault with the council’s communication regarding Ms X’s housing duty, as this delayed her ability to request a review of the property.
However, on the council concluding the woman was not at risk and the accommodation was suitable, the Ombudsman wrote: “Our role is not to ask whether the Council could have done things better, or whether we agree or disagree with what it did. Instead, we look at whether there was fault in how it made its decisions. If we decide there was no fault in how it did so, we cannot ask whether it should have made a particular decision or say it should have reached a different outcome.
“I have considered the steps the Council took to consider the issue, and the information it took account of when deciding that miss X’s property was suitable. There is no fault in how it took the decision, and I therefore cannot question whether that decision was right or wrong.”
The council agreed with the Ombudsman to apologise to Ms X, pay her £250 and remind staff of the need to follow procedures when dealing with homelessness cases.
A spokesperson for Hammersmith and Fulham Council said: “Ms X approached the council for housing support after fleeing domestic abuse in February 2023. We provided emergency accommodation that same day.
“In May 2023, Ms X raised safety concerns after she spotted a friend of the perpetrator near her emergency accommodation. Her concerns were fully investigated.
“As the Ombudsman stated in its ruling: “It (the council) spoke to Ms X and collected details of what happened, it then reached a balanced decision. It said that where Ms X saw the perpetrator’s friend, was a location visited by people from across London. Therefore, the friend would have no reason to believe that Ms X lived close by.”
“We continued to offer Ms X support as she remained in the home provided until April 2025 when she decided to move out.
“In line with the Ombudsman’s ruling, we have apologised and compensated Ms X for our failure to update her in May 2023 of a main housing duty for her being accepted. We have also reinforced to officers the need to follow procedures when dealing with homelessness cases.”
Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter