Key Points
- A South London family will receive nearly £5,000 after Kingston Council was found at fault for leaving them in hotel accommodation for nine months.
- The case was investigated by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, which said the family suffered unsuitable accommodation and avoidable distress.
- The family had been in temporary accommodation since 2019, and the flat was damaged by flooding in 2023 caused by leaks from flats above.
- The council was criticised for taking too long to identify the leak, failing to provide suitable alternative housing, and poor communication.
- The hotel room was described as unsuitable because the family had to share a single room and there were no cooking facilities.
- Kingston Council has agreed to apologise and pay Ms B £4,800.
Kingston (South London News) June 27, 2026 – A South London family will receive nearly £5,000 after Kingston Council was found at fault for leaving them in hotel accommodation for nine months, according to reporting by The Standard and findings from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
As reported by the Standard, the family — a mother referred to as Ms B and her three children — had been living in temporary accommodation since 2019 before flood damage in 2023 forced them out of the flat they were occupying.
The Ombudsman said the council’s failings caused the family the injustice of unsuitable accommodation and avoidable distress.
What led to the hotel stay?
The family’s temporary flat suffered flood damage in 2023 because of leaks from two flats above, which Ms B had repeatedly reported to the council, The Standard reported.
A housing officer later found in October 2023 that one leak was getting worse and raised concerns for Ms B’s children, leading to the family being moved into a hotel.
The watchdog ruled that the flat had already been unsuitable for the family to live in from mid-August onwards.
It said Kingston Council was too slow to identify the source of one of the leaks, leaving Ms B to deal with greater inconvenience than necessary before she had to leave.
Why was the hotel judged unsuitable?
According to the Ombudsman report cited by The Standard, the hotel room was unsuitable because the family had to share a single room and there were no cooking facilities.
The watchdog said the cramped living conditions were likely to make the disabled child’s health issues worse.
It also found no evidence that the council properly considered whether the hotel was suitable for the family before placing them there. The Ombudsman said this formed part of the injustice caused to Ms B and her children.
What did the Ombudsman find?
The Ombudsman also criticised Kingston Council for the time it took to repair the flat, which was not ready for the family to return to until July 2024.
When Ms B went back, she found water was still entering from above, and that problem was only fixed in August 2024.
The report said asbestos building materials in all three flats made the repairs more complicated and contributed to delays.
Even so, the watchdog concluded that the council’s handling of the matter fell below the expected standard.
What has Kingston Council said?
Kingston Council agreed to apologise to Ms B and pay her £4,800 for the injustice she experienced. A council spokesperson said the authority remained committed to ensuring residents had safe, warm and secure homes.
The spokesperson added that the council accepted the Ombudsman’s findings and acknowledged that, in this case, its service did not meet the standards expected. The council said it was sorry for the impact on Ms B and her family.
Background of the development
The case sits within a wider context of pressure on local housing services, where temporary accommodation can become prolonged when repairs, property checks and alternative housing options take time to arrange.
In this instance, the family had already been in temporary accommodation for several years before the flooding and repairs created another extended period of disruption.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman routinely investigates complaints where councils are accused of poor housing handling, unsuitable accommodation or delays in repair work.
In this case, the Ombudsman found fault in the council’s response, the suitability of the hotel placement and the repair timetable.
Explore More Kingston Upon Thames Council News
Council Demands Elevated Rail Rethink for Crossing Project in Aspendale 2026
Protests Erupt Over 20,000-Home Kingston Green Belt Plan, Kingston 2026
Prediction
For families in temporary accommodation, this case may sharpen attention on how councils assess hotel placements, communicate repair timelines and decide whether accommodation is genuinely suitable for children and disabled residents.
For Kingston residents, it may also increase scrutiny of how quickly the council responds when temporary homes become uninhabitable and whether follow-up repairs are completed before families are returned.
For other local authorities, the case could encourage more detailed record-keeping and earlier checks on alternative accommodation before families are moved.
It may also lead to more complaints being upheld where councils cannot show they properly considered the needs of the household before making housing decisions.
