Local authority put abused man in housing close to his abuser

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

A domestic abuse victim has won £500 from a South London council after twice being housed in a drug den – and once near to his abusive ex-partner.

The unnamed man – know as Mr B – was left feeling scared and suicidal after he was attacked by his drug dealer flatmate in a house he was placed in by Southwark council in May 2018.

Following the attack, the local authority agreed to move Mr B but rehoused him in another flat which was being used to sell drugs close to where his abuser lived.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman – a body that investigates complaints about local authorities – ordered Southwark council to apologise to the man. Southwark has since provided Mr B with a council house.

The ombudsman report said: “There was fault by the council. It has not evidenced that it made sure the property it procured for Mr B was in a reasonable condition and suitable for him.

“It did not advise Mr B of his rights and how to raise issues about the property, and did not give him the support he needed to resolve these issues. This caused Mr B uncertainty and frustration and impacted on his well-being.”

Southwark council found a privately rented house share for the man after he fled his abusive partner in May 2018. Mr B believed the flat was temporary, but he ended up staying there for more than a year.

Soon after moving in he became worried about the behaviour of his flatmates and the poor condition of the house. He voiced his concerns to the council, visiting its offices in person several times.

In May 2019, Mr B was taken to A&E after being attacked by his drug-dealing flatmate

Realising Mr B was in danger Southwark council offered him emergency accommodation, but the new flat was near the abusive partner he had fled.

After moving in, Mr B raised concerns about disrepairs in his new flat and sent the council photos of electric sockets hanging from the walls of the property. A council officer who visited the house found rubbish piled up in the kitchen and holes in the walls.

The Ombudsman report said: “Mr B’s room door had no lock or handle and could not be closed. The council’s reports say there were regular altercations and some tenants were selling drugs with a constant stream of customers all day and night.”

A local authority officer who visited the flat said it was “essentially a building site.”

The report said: “In October [2020], Mr B complained to the council that the interim accommodation it had provided had not been suitable.

“Mr B also complained that a council officer he had dealt with had asked for and used his personal log-in details to access his Universal Credit account without first telling him what information he needed and why.

He and his sister also said that the officer told Mr B he would need to apologise before he would offer him accommodation.”

Southwark finally offered Mr B a council house in September 2020 after deciding he urgently needed to move. Southwark council has been contacted for a response.

Southwark council said it does not comment on domestic abuse cases.

Pictured: Southwark Town Hall