Why Haringey's Housing Failures Keep Landing at the Ombudsman's Door

For residents navigating Haringey’s acute housing crisis, the recent decision by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) to uphold a complaint against Haringey Council serves as a stark reminder of persistent systemic issues.

A case decided in July 2025, highlights a deeply concerning pattern: the council’s failure to adequately review the suitability of temporary accommodation, significant delays in housing register priority banding reviews, and poor complaint handling. The Ombudsman found these faults caused the complainant, known as Miss X, “significant distress” and “avoidable time and trouble” over five years in unsuitable housing.

Regular Complaints

This is not an isolated incident. Haringey has faced a steady stream of upheld complaints, casting a shadow over its housing services. Indeed, the borough had the most upheld LGO complaints per capita of any local authority in the country. Beyond Miss X’s experience, other investigations in 2025 have revealed ‘severe systemic failings’ in the council’s social care and complaint handling, particularly concerning vulnerable individuals at risk of homelessness.

Challenge is needed

While the council has implemented actions in response to LGO recommendations, the ongoing stream of upheld complaints raises serious questions about the effectiveness of these measures. Are the underlying issues truly being addressed, or are residents still being let down by a system struggling to cope? The human cost of these administrative failures is profound. For families like Miss X’s, it means years of uncertainty, ill-health, and distress.

What do these repeated findings mean for trust in local governance and what challenge will councillors provide the officers to ensure residents receive the fair and timely services they deserve?