A domestic abuse victim and her children “had to flee” their new home when Bristol City Council and a housing association inadvertently moved a relative of her perpetrator into the same road, a report reveals. The Local Government Ombudsman has upheld a complaint against the council for failures in its response, although the watchdog ruled that what happened was an “unfortunate coincidence” that could not have been foreseen.
But it said the local authority “failed to follow its complaint policy” and provided a poor response that was uncoordinated and caused confusion and injustice to the abuse victim, referred to as Miss B, and her mother, Ms C, who spent time and trouble chasing it up. The ombudsman’s report said Miss B secured a property with a housing association through the council’s allocations scheme Home Choice in April 2021.
“She complained the council did not prevent Ms D, a relative of her perpetrator, moving into her road [in July 2021],” it said. "She also complained the council did not support her to leave this property and move into a new one.
