Brent Council Breached Domestic Abuse Guidelines by Contacting Perpetrator
Brent Council has publicly admitted to a severe breach of domestic abuse protocols after it contacted and shared information with an alleged perpetrator while a victim sought emergency refuge. The council's actions directly contravened established homelessness guidelines, which explicitly prohibit local authorities from approaching alleged abusers in such cases.
Council's Faulty Verification Process Exposed Victim
The victim, identified only as Miss X in a Local Government Ombudsman report, approached Brent Council in September 2023 reporting domestic abuse and requesting emergency accommodation for herself and her child. Astonishingly, the council then contacted the alleged perpetrator to verify her homelessness status, who claimed Miss X could remain at the property. This verification method fundamentally compromised her safety and violated council policies designed to protect vulnerable individuals.
The Ombudsman determined this decision "undoubtedly impacted" Miss X and caused "significant distress," noting that homelessness guidelines clearly state councils "should not approach the alleged perpetrator" when dealing with domestic abuse allegations, even when seeking additional evidence.
Two-Year Ordeal in Unsuitable Accommodation
After accepting its duty to provide emergency accommodation in September 2023, Brent Council placed Miss X and her child in a refuge that same month. Despite producing a personalised housing plan and accepting main housing duty in November 2023, the council failed to secure suitable, stable accommodation for the family.
Miss X remained in the unsuitable refuge for more than two years, during which she shared kitchen facilities while caring for her child—conditions the Ombudsman noted the council should have considered inappropriate from the outset. She attempted to contact the council between April and May 2024 without response, eventually filing a formal complaint about the accommodation's suitability in October 2024.
"Once the council determined that Miss X's current accommodation was unsuitable, it owed an immediate, non-deferrable and unqualified duty to provide suitable accommodation," stated the Ombudsman. "I consider the continued failure to do so to be fault by the council. It impacted Miss X and her child by causing them distress by remaining in a property which was deemed unsuitable for their needs."
Systemic Failures and Compensation Awarded
The council only acknowledged the accommodation's unsuitability in February 2025, having previously failed to inform Miss X of her right to review the placement. Even after this recognition, she remained in the refuge as she declined another interim accommodation option and visited a property deemed unsuitable due to poor maintenance.
Miss X finally moved out of the refuge accommodation in December 2025. The Ombudsman has ordered Brent Council to pay her £8,250 in compensation for:
- Disclosing information to the alleged abuser
- Leaving the mother and child in unsuitable accommodation for over two years
- Persistent communication failures throughout the process
Brent Council was approached for comment but did not respond prior to publication. This case highlights critical systemic failures in how local authorities handle domestic abuse cases and their legal obligations to provide suitable emergency housing.
