Hounslow London Borough Council Reviews 120

Inside the Hounslow council tax department, discrimination,for different reasons, they employees lost my paperwork, they wiped information from the system,they wiped documentation from the system, finally they told me you did not apply for council tax reduction, because on time they did not enter documents into system, council need to review in council tax department

Falling ceiling, crumbling interior walls, external alley not been cleaned for five years … I could go on. No response from initial email. Always an appalling service.

After overpaying my council tax bill by almost £400.00, I requested an immediate refund via the contact forms and provided my account details. I received an almost immediate response to my surprise given the 10 working day expectation guideline where the agent offered to give me credit in my new council tax bill or to reply if I wished to proceed with the refund. I responded same day telling them to proceed with the refund as I was moving house within the borough and the onus of council tax would fall on all tenants, whereas my last bill was solely mine so my refund was my money.

I received a response 10 working days after confirming the details of my new address and asking details of my past landlord - but no mention of my refund confirmation. I responded with the requested information and again asked about my refund. 20 days had then passed and radio silence.

I then managed to get access to my online council tax and could see my credit still there and no refund actioned, so I went ahead and requested the refund online with again, a guideline of 10 working days to process and get back to me. 16 working days pass by since my second refund request and over two months since my initial refund request and still no news. There’s no credit on my new council tax bill so I know they haven’t done that. If I’m late to pay my council tax by one single day, I get charged Bank of England interest rates but to get almost £400 back of my own money? Screw THEIR OWN guidelines, it’s whenever they want to give it.

I’ve written multiple complaints and even the complaints I was supposed to receive a response within 10 working days and, you guessed it, no news.

I finally decided I had enough and used my day off to try give them a call.

Now getting through to an actual agent is a nightmare. Hounslows system have a “virtual assistant” who does everything they can to not put you through to an actual human. I’ve never felt so close to a mental breakdown as I did trying to beg a robot to let me speak to an actual human. Even when that stupid virtual assistant says “you’d like to speak to an agent, is that correct” and you respond with ‘yes’. They do not put you through and simply state that the agents can’t deal with all your questions and they need to know what it’s about, but if you say anything else the virtual ‘assistant’ ends the call.

I tried getting through to a human for over an hour and only after shouting incoherently at the virtual assistant and it not understanding me enough times did I finally manage to escape hell on earth.

I was then put on hold for 30 minutes just for an advisor to tell me that those 10 working days guideline is basically a lie, and it usually takes up to a month to process. I don’t fault the agent on the phone as she was lovely, was able to look into my account and expedite my complaints and refund. But the whole process of trying to get my money back and trying to even get in touch with the council is a bloody nightmare when again, if you’re late even a day with your bill, you get fined, harassed with calls and letters and emails.

This is not okay at all. You increase the council tax amount every single year and can’t even abide by your own guidelines. It doesn’t take 3 months to process someone’s refund. And the fact that I haven’t heard back from a single complaint made despite their 10 working days deadline passing is truly abhorrent.

Worst website possible. I constantly have to reset my password and it still doesn’t work.

Hounslow Council has multiple website logins that lead nowhere. One for council tax, one for communication, another for each separate service, all disconnected. None work. Confusing and frustrating.

And then the waste collection. Residents are expected to sort different types of recycling, yet it ends up scattered across the streets and on driveways.

In winter, everything is soaked. Can this even be recycled at that point?

This is not a minor inconvenience. It’s a basic public service that should work.

What a disgraceful service. Bleak House.

An absolute nightmare no personal customer service waiting only to get through to an allternmated system that does not responde hounslow Council needs to do better im waiting for a recall let's see what happens Bring back people

I wouldnt even give them 1 star if i had the choice. Trying to say they caught me fly tipping i wasnt. I left a card board box outside when i came out there was a sticker on it instead of coming into the shop to ask they gave me fnp of £1000 i have evidence to show i have the box and it was not fly tipping but it isnt good enough.

I just checked how much is council tax for 26/27. This is fraud compare to the quality of service.

I am a severely disabled and very socially isolated Hounslow Council tenant. I am writing this to highlight a recurring pattern of unreliable service and failure to honour documented adjustments by Hounslow Council Housing.

The Initial Failure

I requested a repair to the Hounslow Council repairs team. This was due to an electrical fault leaving me without power to an essential appliance. Despite the Council’s 10-working-day response promise, I received total silence and, because of my disabilities, existing health issues and multiple administration burdens, I did not have the capacity to go without power to an essential appliance. Consequently, this delay caused significant distress, a significant time-consuming administrative burden and unnecessary financial costs for external services.

The Escalation

After the deadline passed, I contacted my Ward Councillor and I was very impressed with the Councillor, who responded the same day. It is clear that only political intervention triggers action from this Council.
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Overwhelming and Inaccessible Communication

Following the Councillor's intervention, the Council’s response was overwhelming and disorganized:

Inaccessible Phone Calls:
Despite a written agreement on my file (from the head of a Hounslow Council service) that my preference is to be contacted by email or letter, I was bombarded with three phone calls in quick succession from a private number.
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Broken Promises:
When I spoke to the caller, I requested just 20 minutes to prepare for a complex question that she asked me (a reasonable request due to one of my serious disabilities). The caller agreed, but she is rude and unprofessional because she rang back in only 12 minutes, causing me unnecessary pressure and leading me to feel very negative.

Lack of Respect:
The caller repeatedly used the incorrect title for me, despite my correct title being on their computer system.
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Time-consuming Administrative Burden: I was contacted by three different sources (the aforementioned caller, a supervisor at Lampton Services, and a specific Hounslow Council team). Two of the sources were asking for the same information, but they had already been provided with all the information they needed. This lack of internal coordination created a significant, stressful and time-consuming administrative burden for me, which distracted me from managing my life, including my disabilities and health.

The Outcome

The positives were the Lampton Services electrician successfully restoring power to the essential appliance and the swiftness of the appointment once escalated.

One of the tradespeople apologised to me for the delay and the caller apologised to me for mistitling me.

A Customer Experience manager rang me despite the written agreement on my file (from the head of a Hounslow Council service) that my preference is to be contacted by email or letter. The manager also subsequently CC'd me in an email to two Councillors, but a paragraph in the email confused me.

Conclusion

While the repair was completed, the journey to get the repair done was a time-consuming and significantly distressing battle. Hounslow Council Housing claim that their tenants safety is their priority, but, in my personal experience, Hounslow Council Housing is not a safe service, not least because they are often disrespectful, unreliable and unpredictable. They act as if a tenant’s time and documented disability needs do not matter. I currently have a formal complaint with the Housing Ombudsman Service about Hounslow Housing and a further formal complaint about Hounslow Council Housing regarding a different repair request is heading to the Housing Ombudsman Service; this negative experience of requesting a repair confirms again that kind of negative experience was not an isolated occurrence, but a pattern.

Made the mistake of driving in to Hounslow, (I live well away from London, thank God) but got done by a no motor vehicle zone and fined £80 for the pleasure. Thanks Hounslow London Borough Council - you know how to treat visitors. Just popped in to play at a local sports venue for an away match. Missed the no motor vehicle signs as I was following other traffic and had arrived down the same road earlier. I assumed, wrongly, that as other motor vehicles were driving everything was okay oh and, of course, it only fines you going one way! Hence I missed it on my first journey into Hounslow. The other vehicles I was following must have a permit of course - so obvious now! Oh and it was a Saturday afternoon - not exactly busy. Fining motorists who are first time visitors to a new area is incredibly harsh and says it all about the way society runs today. If you work for this borough council you are morally corrupt, in my view. Right, off to fine anyone who walks from left to right outside my house. However, I will let them walk from right to left! Hounslow Borough Council taught me that one! Door knobs!

[Now here to trustpilot will do bias partiallity by saying we cannot post it cause against our rule]. So than just let me know trustpilot where are abusive wirds. This company openreach and BT such a nuisances that they don't care wether customer has network or not they only need money to collect and feed their families stomach. They started to make provision for fibre cable and work started or given to dig the footpath for telent company when they dig they cut the old Internet cable of BT. When we residence from Hounslow vicarage road asked they said technician coming to repair but there's no way they did they just ran away when I asked where is your permission to dig the road . They said they sticked to front barrier. After looking that I took phone number 0800526015 dialled and spoke they said work has started on 23rd January 2026. And 25th will get over. But the work started on sunday 25th January 2026 at 9:30am. And at 10 am the cable cut. And when I said why work started in weekend when they put 2 days and 27th work will end then why work started today on sunday. After hearing this talk the workers of telent ran away from the digging place by keeping the damaged cable without connected and no network for the residence. I phone BT. The same openreach and BT are same company. I inform BT that main on the road digging area cable cut. They say after 5 days getting appointments or the technician will come.. such a company which network also horrible with zero speed provision.. than I phone apenreach on 08000232023. They told to press 1 and than after 1 when the customer service spoked they said this is only Safeguarding we do only which may cause danger we come and keep aside we are not repair section. Than Why they tell press 1 if cable is damaged? Are this company is not feeding from our money. And on top they make suffer when our children need to do homework from school n and submit online in school n college I explain them but not. Even i phone in borough of council of Hounslow they even not helped this people only knows to collect money. They don't care customers need. The work permit number was 500355474600. Openreach is a very pathethic company. And even technician comes are usless. They come just for time pass This openreach and BT. Are same compromise please beware when they dodging on your area when they starting work and put notice. If residence area infront of the house they dig they should put first notice atleadt 1 day prior to work but this openreach not done. Even council is hopless of Hounslow. The highway give permission to dig postcode TW3 4NJ but they don't care only they get money for cutting ,digging the road that's all they don't check this is highway authority and borough authority work responsibilities. What their goes. They get money to feed their families. Pathethic people. Reference number given me by Hounslow council that they will take immediate action but till date nothing no one called me. Reference number 14498262. Because of this people suffer as they know other nationality stays there so do what tgey want. Cause they are Britain's or europeans

For 3 days I have been trying to call Tbrown for a broken boiler for my friend who has a heart condition. In this -5° winter it seems that their staff is frozen too. A promise is that his family and I will sue you for negligence if God forbid something happen to him. The longest wait before I give up was 3hours. Your bunch of Axxxxx

Human noise disturbance at all the time from my neighbours.
About Council help nothing they didn't helped us with nothing. Keep complaining about noise Keep sending to us that loog sheets without any results from them.
Very disappointed. After 2 attempts from us still the same impossible to stay in the house at all the time.Screaming,shouting, talking loud, slamming affecting our mental health and enjoying our daily life in our house. We trying to solve this problem from long time ago.
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received a PCN for not charging my EV whilst parked in an electric vehicle charging bay.
The charging point for this bay DOES NOT EVEN WORK, so this means that noone can park in this parking bay without receiving a ticket, as noone can satisfy the requirements for parking in this bay (as you have to be charging your EV at all timesn whist parking here). I am also a permit holder on this street which makes this even more frustrating.
Despite mentioning this in my appeal the council still rejected my appeal. scandalous. This council just want to make as much money as possible, with no regard for their residents.

Review of Hounslow Council – Deeply Disappointed

My experience with Hounslow Council has been extremely disappointing. Their approach to customer service has felt intimidating, unhelpful, and at times outright hostile. Instead of offering support or clear communication, interactions have often been marked by poor coordination, dismissive attitudes, and a lack of accountability.

I have found their staff to be more focused on exerting authority than resolving issues, creating an environment that feels adversarial rather than service-oriented. Requests for clarity or fair treatment are frequently met with delay, defensiveness, or unprofessional behaviour.

Residents deserve a council that listens, acts transparently, and treats people with respect — not one that uses bureaucracy as a barrier. Hounslow Council urgently needs to review its culture, leadership, and training to restore public trust and ensure that local people are treated with basic courtesy and fairness.

Having received a parking ticket for parking outside my own home, in a valid parking bay and with a valid permit clearly displayed, I was forced to appeal the penalty twice before ultimately taking the matter to the London Tribunals.

The council failed to even submit any representation to the tribunal — and as a result, I quite rightly won the case. However, the entire process was a complete waste of my time and energy, and it caused entirely unnecessary stress and frustration.

It is unacceptable that residents are subjected to this kind of treatment due to administrative incompetence or overzealous enforcement. Councils should be held accountable for such actions, and there should be financial penalties imposed on them when they wrongly issue fines. Perhaps then they would be less inclined to pursue such unfair, money-driven practices.

Yours faithfully,

Scott

Try calling the council's phone number to report a required repair. The odds are you'll be waiting for over an hour just for someone to answer. Truly dreadful!

LONDON BOROUGH COUNCIL IN HOUNSLOW HAVE A ROOMING HOUSE IN 146A ST JOHNS ROAD WITH NO HEATING NO TVS IN ROOMS NO BLANKETS NO SHEETS ON BEDS JUST A MATTRESS AND BED FRAME THERE IS BLACK MOULD IN THE SHOWER CUBICLE UNDER THE STAIRS THE TOILET DOESNT FLUSH PROPERLY THE LANDLORD DOESNT ALLOW TENNANTS TO HAVE VISITORS OR FREINDS OR FAMILY VISITING HE STEALS TENNANTS MAIL AND HE HAS THE ELECTRICITY DISCONNECTED TWICE IN ROOM 1 THERE IS BLOOD ON THE CARPET THE CARPET IS FILTHY THE LIGHTING IN ROOMS IS BAD NO TV ANTENNA OR OUTLETS IN ROOMS

Hounslow can appear run-down in certain areas, with some council estates that feel neglected. There are issues with litter, broken items dumped on the streets, and public disturbances.
In some spots, the smell of cannabis can be noticeable. Overall, I would be cautious about recommending Hounslow as a place to live

Hello, I have osteoarthritis in my right hip and I have difficulty walking. For 6 months, the council had housed me in a temporary home with drug addicts and dangerous alcoholics. Now, after I protested this situation, they unfortunately closed my case and after 6 months, they are not supporting me and I am in a private rental.

I'm furious with how Hounslow Council have dealt with my Penalty Charge Notice for Hartington Road. I drove down this road not realising the council have 'implemented a traffic restriction on vehicles travelling northbound'. The signage indicating this is the case is appalling - you'd never notice it unless you were specifically looking for it. You'd surely make the signage much clearer if you didn't want people driving down the road.

I called the council and the person who took my call was incredibly rude. Basically suggested we're rich because we live in Chiswick (we live in Acton and I was directed that way by Google maps). She even said on the call that she recognised Hartington Road because so many people are getting fines for driving there. Shows it's just a money making scheme for the council basically. Not quite sure what they're doing with all our ill-gotten money as none of the public services in the area seem to work...

Drove down this road twice in the same week and been issued with two separate PCN's. Obviously they denied our appeal, stating the signage is clear (it isn't). I don't know how you can get two separate PCN's though when you haven't even bothered notifying the person for several weeks they've committed the initial offence in the first place. So frustrated with the ridiculous PCN's constantly being dished out and makes me not want to live here...