South London man’s £10k payout a sign of how badly he was treated by council when asking for help

South London: A disabled man faced a tough situation for eight years. He was mostly stuck in his living room because Kingston Council didn’t make his home accessible.

The Housing Ombudsman stepped in and ordered the council to pay him £10,000. They found that the council ignored many recommendations from an occupational therapist.

This case was part of a report that looked at how landlords respond to health needs. It pointed out major failings in 35 cases where people needed home adaptations.

Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, said the systems in place were often callous. He noted that communication was unreliable and didn’t meet the needs of residents.

Kingston Council apologized to the man after the investigation. They admitted their failure to adapt his home left him struggling to move around.

The man was told his property wasn’t suitable when he moved in. Although the council made some changes, like installing a wide front door, many recommendations were ignored.

Four years later, the occupational therapist found that nothing had been done. The tenant couldn’t use his wheelchair, making life very difficult.

The ombudsman found no proof that the council considered the therapist’s suggestions. They didn’t even look into smaller changes that could have helped.

While the council wasn’t required to make the adaptations, they should have shown they were considered. After the investigation, the council promised to improve their processes.

A spokesperson for Kingston Council said they are committed to providing quality housing. They are now working to find a new home that meets the tenant’s needs.

They also reviewed their policies on adaptations for disabled residents to ensure better responses in the future.