Begum, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Tower Hamlets (2024) EWHC 2279 (Admin A brief note on this judicial review - brief in part because I'm not sure I actually grasp part of the challenge. Ms Begum had applied as homeless to Tower Hamlets in...
Suitable accommodation under section 190 Housing Act 1996
ZRR, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Bexley (2024) EWHC 2073 (Admin) This was a judicial review of Bexley's contention that temporary accommodation offered to ZRR under s.190 Housing Act 1996 was suitable and its duty was discharged when ZRR...
Housing Need Assessments and Suitability – Getting it wrong. Again.
UO v London Borough of Redbridge (2024) EWHC 1989 (Admin) We first saw UO and Redbridge in this judicial review of an unlawful housing needs assessment (HNA) and suitability decision. That decision was, to say the least, scathing about Redbridge's decision...
Section 188(1) accommodation, suitability and mandatory orders
We are very grateful to Alice Irving of Doughty Street Chambers for the following note of a judgment in the Administrative Court on an application for interim relief. It is a very interesting case not only on section 188(1) accommodation but also on...
Suitability, reports in Family proceedings, and termination of existing accommodation
Querino v Cambridge City Council (Rev1) (2024) EWCA Civ 314 We're a bit late to this one. The backlog is growing as I've had other things to do, but here it is. This was a second appeal to the court of appeal from a s.204 appeal of a decision on suitability...
Suitability, disability discrimination and dogs – temporary accommodation
AB & Anor, R (On the Application Of) v Westminster City Council (2024) EWHC 266 (Admin) This was a judicial review of both the suitability of accommodation provided to a homeless couple, and also of Westminster's policy of sourcing temporary...
Affordability and suitability – getting the numbers right
Our grateful thanks to Liam Evans and Daniel Grütters of One Pump Court for this note of a s.204 appeal on an affordability assessment for a suitability decision, including the vexed topic of use of AHAS guidance. Ake v Lewisham Borough Council (2024)...
Out of borough accommodation and the homelessness relief duty – raising issues on review
Moge v London Borough of Ealing (2023) EWCA Civ 464 Another one that I am apparently late in writing up. A second appeal to the Court of Appeal from a s.204 appeal. Ms Moge was owed the section 189B Housing Act 1996 relief duty as homeless by LB Ealing....
Saying you are broke isn’t enough to avoid a duty – suitable accommodation and resources
Imam, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Croydon (2023) UKSC 45 Full transparency - I acted for Crisis on an intervention in this case. This is the long awaited Supreme Court decision in Imam v Croydon on what conditions a court should have regard...
Homelessness and evidence
Oday Yabari, R (on the application of) v The Lord Mayor and Citizens of the City of Westminster (2023) EWHC 185 (Admin) A judicial review of what was alleged to be Westminster's failure to meet its s.188(1) duty to secure suitable accommodation and breach of...
Distance, affordability, suitability
Katie-Leigh Webb-Harnden v London Borough of Waltham Forest (2023) EWCA Civ 992 This was the second appeal from a review decision upholding the suitability of an offer of a private sector tenancy in Walsall in discharge of Waltham Forest's s.193 duty to Ms...
Suitability s202 reviews and ‘minded to’ regulations
E v Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. 9 December 2022. Central London County Court (Unreported - Anonymised at claimant's request) ) This is a s.204 appeal judgment that I have been sitting on for an inexcusably long time, ever since I was kindly sent...