Watchdog will not investigate complaint about bed bugs in emergency accommodation

A watchdog will not investigate a Wiganer’s complaint that he had to sleep in his car with his dog because temporary accommodation given to him by the council was inadequate.

The resident complained to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) about the council’s offers of temporary accommodation. He said he had to sleep in his car in 2019 because the hotel he was staying in had was infested with bed bugs.

But the ombudsman said it should not investigate the complaint because there was insufficient evidence that the council had done anything wrong.

The investigator added that it was reasonable for the man, referred to as Mr X throughout the report, to ask for a review of the suitability of the temporary accommodation offered to him.

The ombudsman said Mr X was placed in temporary accommodation when the council accepted him as homeless in 2018. He accepted a tenancy of temporary housing in early 2019.

However, he said that because of criminal and anti-social behaviour, he left the property and asked to be housed elsewhere.

“The council offered him temporary accommodation in a hotel until an alternative tenancy could be found,” the report found.

“Mr X says he left the hotel in July when he experienced bites which he says were due to bed bugs.

“He decided to live in his car with his dog rather than stay in the hotel.

“The council offered him places in other hotels until he was offered another tenancy in August in another town. Mr X accepted the tenancy and in November he moved to another property offered by the council.

“Mr X complained to us when he was living in his car and said he had no accommodation he could occupy.

“At this time, he still retained his tenancy from early 2019 and was also able to occupy the hotel accommodation which he left.

“The council says he did not give it any opportunity to investigate infestations.

“When he left the hotel, it did not find any evidence of infestation.

“Mr X complained to us that he had no accommodation, but the council made it available for him at the time.

“He may have felt for various reasons that it was unsuitable, but he could have asked the council for a review of the suitability.

“We would expect someone to do this before complaining to us. In this case the council considered him and offered alternative accommodation without a review being requested.”

The report concluded: “The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the council.

“It was reasonable for Mr X to ask for a review of the suitability of the temporary accommodation offered to him.”

The full report can be found at lgo.org.uk using the reference code 19 007 212.

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