Homeless man overdoses in B&B over ‘frustration with housing’

Published by 24publishing for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities, Health, Local Government

A homeless man with mental health issues took an overdose in a B&B after a London council failed to respond to his concerns of loud music and shouting from his neighbours.

The London Borough of Hounslow had earlier failed to take a homlessness application from Mr Ceeney because it didn’t deem his as being “priority need”, according to the Local Government Ombudsman. He had fled his father’s home because of domestic violence.

A year after he first applied, the council finally accepted him as homeless and provided B&B accommodation, however, Mr Ceeney said he couldn’t sleep because of loud music and shouting from his neighbours.

The ombudsman said the council did not do enough to respond to these concerns and should have accepted him as homeless the first time.

Dr Jane Martin said that priority need was irrelevant. “The issue was whether it had reason to believe he was homeless or threatened with homelessness,” she said.

Later, after it conducted an assessment, the council’s home treatment team found that the accommodation was adversely affecting the man’s mental health. Mr Ceeney says that the overdose he took at that time resulted from frustration with his housing.

The Ombudsman found maladministration causing injustice and recommended the council pay Mr Ceeney £500, plus a further £250 to recognise his uncertainty and his unnecessary time and trouble. It also told the London Borough of Hounslow to review its procedures.

Earlier this week, the National Housing Federation highlighted a 44% rise in B&B use nationwide in the first three months of 2012 compared to the same period last year – up from 2,750 to 3,960.